BJP supporters ransack party office in West Bengal, threaten to vote NOTA

From Bongaon to Malda, from Basirhat to Cooch Behar, BJP in West Bengal is increasingly coming under attack from its own supporters over the party’s choice of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The situation has come to such a head in Cooch Behar that an irate mob of supporters ransacked the party’s district office on Thursday.

They were protesting against the nomination of Nitish Pramanik who is alleged to be involved in human trafficking, illegal arms dealing and benami properties transactions according to a order that allegedly CBI, New Delhi, sent to its Kolkata office for necessary action. A copy of the order has been circulating on the social media. National Herald can’t verify the authenticity of the document.

A massive social media campaign has been undertaken by BJP supporters who have put up posters in the district, threatening to press NOTA in the elections in case Pramanik’s candidature is not revoked. It reads: “Not a single vote for the smuggler from Dinhata in the name of BJP. Either give us a good candidate or we will press NOTA.”

The BJP district committee meeting’s minutes were also leaked on Friday, where it can be seen that the office bearers are not happy with the candidate and are calling upon the state and national party leaders to step in.

In Malda North too, posters have appeared against the candidature of former CPI(M) leader Khagen Murmu. “We have fought against these very people for so many years. And these guys change sides just on the eve of elections and get the party ticket. We won’t vote for such people,” said a local BJP worker from Gazole block of Malda district.

Similar posters have appeared in Basirhat in the southeastern part of the state, bordering Bangladesh where Sayantan Basu has been given the ticket. Though Basu has been with the BJP for long, here, local BJP supporters are not supporting him as he is not from the area. Posters have been put up in several places, reading: “We do not want an outsider. Only a local leader can be the candidate.” The poster carries Basu’s name and photograph with a red across over it.

Posters have cropped up everywhere in Bongaon where the BJP is even yet to declare its candidate. It warns the party of awarding the ticket to party turn-coats who have joined the BJP from other parties. It reads, “If BJP’s own is not given a ticket, this time our vote will go to the other flower.” Incidentally, the All India Trinamool Congress’ symbol is grass and wildflowers.

The BJP declared candidates for 28 seats in the state on Thursday. There are six newcomers who have figured on that list: Khagen Murmu from Malda North, former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh from Ghatal, and four from the Trinamool camp. They are Arjun Singh, Anupam Hazra, Saumitra Khan and Nisith Pramanik. They will contest from Barrackpore, Jadavpur, Bishnupur and Cooch Behar respectively.

BJP national president Amit Shah had claimed that the party would win 23 seats out of the 42 that West Bengal has to offer. Though political observers do not find much reason behind such claims, it looks like the party, right now, is struggling to convince even its own workers to vote for its candidates.