West Bengal BJP’s recent major organisational reshuffle, where several turncoats from other parties, especially, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), were allotted key posts is aimed towards quelling the discontent among them. According to state BJP insiders, the party leadership wants to ensure that these leaders from other parties, known for their organisational capabilities, can be uitlised fully during the 2021 Assembly elections.
Former TMC MLA Arjun Singh who later became MP on a BJP ticket has been made a vice president. Congress MLA Dulal Bar who joined BJP has been made president of the state wing’s SC Morcha. Another turncoat former TMC MP Soumitra Khan switched over to the saffron party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and has been made president of State unit’s Yuva Morcha.
Former CPI(M) MLA and currently a BJP MP Khagen Murmu has been made president of state BJP’s ST Morcha. Sabyasachi Dutta, a TMC MLA who switched to BJP soon after the Lok Sabha elections was given the post of state secretary.
The development comes at a time when the influx of leaders from other parties to BJP has significantly reduced. BJP sources revealed that another objective behind giving key posts to turncoats was to send a message that leaders who join BJP from other parties will be given due respect.
“Leaders from other parties who joined BJP have been given due respect and recognition in the recent reshuffle in the state committee for their performance. Same will apply to other party leaders who will join BJP in future,” said state BJP leader and former TMC general secretary Mukul Roy.
However, the move has ruffled a lot of feathers in the old guard of the Bengal BJP. They said that instead of allotting key posts in the party to turncoats they could have been “shown respect” in other ways.
“For instance if disgruntled TMC leaders contact us after not being fielded from the seat of their choice in the 2021 Assembly elections, we could reward them by giving party ticket from the same seat,” said a senior state BJP leader.