Infighting in Bengal BJP: Now complaint against Union Minister Santanu Thakur

Kolkata, Jan 21 (IANS) The infighting within the BJP reached a flashpoint after the state unit filed a complaint against Union Minister of State Santanu Thakur and the rebel leaders to the central leadership for fuelling anti-party activities. It has been learnt that the state unit has named 10 rebel leaders responsible for the situation.

Sources in the party said that BJP state general secretary (organisation) Amitava Chakraborty has filed a complaint with the central leadership against 10 rebel leaders for indulging in anti-party activities and also breaking the basic protocol and discipline of the party. Sources also said that the central leadership also assured the state unit that the matter will be taken up with all seriousness.

The controversy broke in a recent incident when the city was flooded with posters and hoardings against Chakraborty, which was allegedly masterminded by the rebel party leaders. Chakrabarty has mailed the pictures of such hoardings and posters to the party high command.

"The central leadership, including the party's national President J.P. Nadda and the party's national General Secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh are very busy with the upcoming Assembly polls in five states, including the most crucial Uttar Pradesh. In this condition it would not be possible for them to handle the on-going controversy in Bengal. They have assured us to take up the matter once the election is over," a senior party leader told IANS on condition of anonymity.

Not only that on Saturday (January 15) Union Minister of State for Port, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur sat in a meeting with the disgruntled BJP leaders of the state, including two MLAs Subrata Tahkur and Ashoke Kirtaniya and Sayantan Basu, who has recently lost the post of state general secretary. Sources in the party said Joy Prakash Majumdar -- one of the prominent faces in the Bengal BJP who has been demoted to spokesperson from the party's state unit vice-president -- was also present in the meeting. Apart from these, three prominent leaders of the state BJP Ritesh Tiwari, Tushar Mukhopadhyay and Debashis Mitra also joined the meeting.

The voice of resentment within the party was strongly felt when several members left the BJP WhatsApp group. The exodus of the BJP leaders started after five BJP MLAs, who represented the Matua community left the BJP MLA WhatsApp group just a day before All India Matua MahaSangha (AIMMS) announced to move away from BJP and maintain a politically neutral stance.

Interestingly enough among the five Matua MLAs three -- Shantanu Thakur, Subrata Thakur and Ashoke Kirtaniya represent the Matua community. Shantanu, who is very unhappy over the "lack of representation of the Matua leaders" in the state and district committees of the party, which was recently reconstituted, had earlier said, "I will not like to comment on my leaving the WhatsApp groups right now. Let the right time come, I will tell you the reason for my actions and my future plans."

"We have informed everything in detail and now it is up to the central leadership to take a call on the situation. There are some people who are trying to malign the image of the party publicly. If proper action is not taken at this point, then it will send a wrong message to the people and our workers in general. There should be an end to this infighting within the party," the leader said.