Kolkata: A desperate BJP leadership in West Bengal is facing hurdles with MLAs inclined to rejoin Trinamool Congress or switch sides. State party president, Dilip Ghosh and the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari held a session with such ‘suspected’ legislators.
Party sources told ETV Bharat that the party MLAs who are suspected of possibilities of joining Trinamool Congress include Biswajit Das from Bagda, Sudip Mukhupadhyay from Purulia and Partha Sarathi Chattopadhyay from Ranaghat (Northwest), among others. “On receiving inputs, Adhikari contacted them immediately and had meetings with them till late night on Tuesday at the MLA hostel in central Kolkata,” said a BJP leader aware of the development.
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However, officially the news was floated that Adhikari went to the MLA hostel to meet party MLA from Natabari, Mihir Goswami, who was injured during BJP’s March to Nabanna agitation on Monday. However, sources said, that Adhikari’s main intention was to prevent the exodus of MLAs. It is further learnt that that meeting was also intended to get the pulse of the BJP legislators. Sources said that the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah himself seeks regular information about party MLAs in West Bengal.
“Adhikari informed the MLAs who held a meeting with him about the keenness of Shah regarding West Bengal. He also enquired about the difficulties of the party MLAs while functioning and also assured them that the Central government will stand by them at any cost. Adhikari also asked the MLAs to immediately inform him if any MLA faces difficulties in operating in his assembly area,” a BJP leader said.
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Again on Tuesday afternoon, state president, Dilip Ghosh reached the room allotted to the party MLAs in the state assembly. There he first attended the function to celebrate of birth anniversary of Shyamaprasad Mukherjee. However, that was not the principal reason for his visit. Soon after the function was over Ghosh started a meeting with party MLAs and gave them a vocal tonic.
He told them not to succumb to any pressure from Trinamool Congress or police administration. He assured all assistance and cooperation from the party high command in this regard. He also advised them to consult with the leadership without any hesitation in case of any difficulty in functioning.
Later speaking to the media he said that currently, BJP’s strength in the assembly is 75. “We celebrated the birthday of Shyamaprasad Mukherjee within the assembly premises and I also had a meeting with the party MLAs,” he said. However, he denied any connection of the meeting with the party high command’s attempt to stop the exodus of MLAs from the party.
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