West Bengal: Major organisational rejig in BJP likely to take place

News Desk: A major organisational rejig in BJP’s West Bengal unit is likely to take place following the party’s poor show in the assembly elections and the recent by-elections for four assembly seats, in which the party failed to retain its two constituencies.

The changes will be decided at a high-level meeting soon in Delhi in the presence of the party’s national president JP Nadda.

Several new faces are expected to be inducted in the state committee and existing district committees are also likely to witness major changes.

“The reshuffle will mainly be focused on three factors — addressing the assembly election debacle, defection of party workers and handling intra-party rift. Some district presidents may get elevated in the state committee. Six-seven district presidents, including those of Kolkata North, Malda and Burdwan, are among those who may be changed’’ said a BJP leader in Bengal.

Sukanta Majumdar, the newly appointed state BJP president, said the upcoming rejig will take place before the civic polls in Kolkata and Howrah.

“The ruling Trinamool Congress wants to get the civic polls conducted before the winter festivity that will start from December 25. The municipal election will have no impact on our possibly organisational rejig” he said.

Majumdar has taken charge of the party at a time when the Bengal BJP is faced with a reverse flow to the TMC.

Since its unimpressive performance in the assembly elections, the party has seen the defection of five MLAs to the TMC and a few other prominent faces who had joined before the polls.

Sources said in the meeting to rejig BJP’s Bengal unit, Majumdar and the leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari will also be present.

“Majumdar’s recommendation will play a major role in the rejig. He has to deliver if he wants to arrest the erosion at the grassroots which also witnessed a largescale defection after the Assembly polls” said another BJP leader.