BJP bets on loyalists to avoid infighting in West Bengal polls

THe Bharatiya Janata company (BJP) in w Bengal has opted to rely to a lesser extent on turncoats and outsiders for the upcoming assemblage elections, gift preference to the party loyalists and ensuring that intra-party differences do not end up hurting its electoral chances, said people aware of the details on Tuesday.On Monday, the party released its first list of 144 candidates for the upcoming two-phase polls.“This time we did not have people joining from other parties in large numbers. Ahead of the 2021 elections as many as 15-20 former TMC legislators led by [leader of the Opposition and former TMC leader] Suvendu Adhikari had switched loyalties to the BJP. There are many who have joined this time and many more who have shown interest, but the party focussed mainly on identifying candidates based on their profile and winnability,” said a senior party leader.On Tuesday, BJP workers staged a demonstration in Bankura district’s Chhatna, alleging that their sitting MLA Satyanarayan Mukherjee, who is running again, should be replaced because he rarely visits the constituency.Gobinda Mukherjee, a local BJP worker, said, “Satyanarayan Mukherjee was rarely seen in the constituency in the last five years.”At the Alipursduar seat in north Bengal, BJP workers protested the party’s decision to field Paritosh Das, a local TMC leader who joined BJP, three years ago. He was fielded in place of BJP’s sitting MLA Suman Kanjilal, who returned to TMC in 2023 but did not resign from the Assembly. Kanjilal left the TMC and joined the BJP in 2021.“The party workers will calm down once they realise that the candidate list was prepared by BJP central leaders,” Das told the local media.In 2021, the BJP won 77 of the 294 seats, which was the highest tally for the party in the state. Differences between the old and the new guard were palpable as several senior leaders relayed concerns to the party high command of being overlooked.“This time there has been a concerted effort to ensure that the state unit and all the leaders are on the same page. Leaders such as Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul and Rahul Sinha, who were perceived to be miffed and even sidelined, are among the key campaigners now,” the functionary cited above said.A quick chat between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ghosh during the former’s recent rally at the Brigade Parade Ground was perceived as an indication of the return of the old guard.To bolster its bid to dethrone three-term chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the BJP’s candidate selection was meticulously carried out. “Suggestions on candidates were sought from the Mandal level…and attention paid to winnability that is the main factor for giving candidacy,” said the functionary cited above.The party ensured representation to diverse castes. Of the 144 candidates, 62 were from the general category; 20 from Other Backward Classes (OBC); 48 from Scheduled Castes and 14 from Scheduled Tribes.The party gave tickets to 41 sitting MLAs, three former MLAs and two former MPs.“We opted to give tickets to professionals as well, paving the way for the entry of people from non-political backgrounds. This is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s instruction to encourage youth from non-political families to join politics,” said the functionary quoted above.The list includes 23 teachers; eight social workers; six advocates; five doctors, three journalists; 3 spiritual leaders; 3 retired soldiers; a cricketer, a folk singer and a retired bureaucrat. Women have been fielded from 11 seats and 36 candidates are below 40.There are 72 candidates between 41 and 55; 32 between 56 and 70, and only four candidates above 70.