Kumar Bahukhandi
Five BJP leaders break into Mamata Banerjee’s power zone-Photo- Arragements
Assembly elections are to be held in West Bengal next year. The politics of the state is divided into North and South Pole. One has emerged as a stronghold of BJP while the other is Mamata’s fort. In Mamata Banerjee’s power zone, BJP is also challenging her with a different strategy.
After stopping the victory chariot of Aam Aadmi Party in the Delhi elections, the focus of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on West Bengal. BJP, which emerged as the main opposition party in the 2021 Bengal elections, has indicated a more aggressive strategy this time. Home Minister Amit Shah’s program to visit Bengal for two days every month is also ready. In such a situation, the violence that broke out in Murshidabad against the Waqf Act has further heated up the political atmosphere of West Bengal. The Murshidabad violence has given an opportunity to the BJP, which is aggressive on the issue of teacher recruitment scam and Bangladeshi infiltration, to question Mamata Banerjee’s government for appeasement.
Murshidabad is adjacent to Malda in North Bengal. Malda comes in North Bengal. In North Bengal, which has been the entry point of BJP in Bengal, the party with lotus symbol has emerged strongly in the last few elections. In such a situation, there is talk about the regional politics of Bengal. If we look at the politics of West Bengal, it seems to be divided into North and South Pole. Both the areas have their own temperament. BJP has emerged strongly in North Bengal, while South Bengal is the stronghold of Mamata Banerjee. North Bengal includes Malda as well as Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Alipurdurwar, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur districts. There are a total of 54 assembly seats in these districts.
Talking about South Bengal, this area, which is considered the powerhouse of Mamata Banerjee’s party, includes the capital Kolkata as well as districts like North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas. The vote share of TMC has consistently been around 49 percent in this region. Even when BJP won 18 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 elections, Mamata Banerjee’s party was successful in saving its southern stronghold. In the 2021 assembly elections, despite BJP’s strong performance in North Bengal and losing the Nandigram seat, Mamata Banerjee’s party returned to power with a majority, and South Bengal played a decisive role behind this too.
The biggest challenge for BJP in West Bengal has been local leadership. In the 2021 Bengal elections, despite aggressive campaigning, BJP lagged behind TMC by a margin of about 10 percent votes, the biggest reason behind it was said that the party lagged far behind Mamata on the pitch of local leadership and Bengali identity. This time the party is already in alert mode. Along with bringing Bengali Bhadralok to its side, the party focused more on local leadership. By making Shubhendu Adhikari the leader of the opposition, BJP put up a face against Mamata Banerjee on the pitch of Bengali identity, while by making state president Sukant Majumdar a Union minister, an attempt is being made to strengthen the fort of North Bengal. These five leaders of BJP are seen challenging Mamata Banerjee’s power house.
Shubhendu Adhikari
Shubhendu Adhikari was once counted among Mamata Banerjee’s close associates. Shubhendu, who was a minister in the Mamata Banerjee-led government from 2016 to 2020, contested the 2021 elections from Nandigram on a BJP ticket. He was elected as an assembly member by defeating CM Mamata Banerjee and the BJP also rewarded him for this. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Shubhendu Adhikari is currently the biggest face of the BJP in South Bengal. He has a strong influence in Nandigram and surrounding areas.
Sukanta Majumdar
Sukanta Majumdar is the President of West Bengal BJP. Sukanta, MP from Balurghat Lok Sabha seat, is counted as a firebrand leader of BJP in West Bengal. Sukanta Majumdar, a teacher by profession, has also been a minister in the Modi cabinet. He is vocal on issues related to Hindus and Hindutva. Sukanta Majumdar, MP from Balurghat, has a strong hold in North Bengal including Siliguri, Malda. He is also considered to have good influence in Murshidabad and surrounding districts.
Dilip Ghosh
Dilip Ghosh has been the President of West Bengal BJP. He comes from Medinipur district which comes in South Bengal. Dilip Ghosh, who was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, started his political journey with BJP in 2014 and the party made him the state president in 2015. In the 2019 general elections, when BJP performed its best ever in West Bengal, winning 18 seats, Dilip Ghosh was the state president. He is known as a skilled organizer in Bengal politics. Dilip Ghosh was an MLA from Kharagpur Sadar from 2016 to 2021 and an MP from Medinipur in 2019. He has also been the National Vice President of BJP.
Shantanu Thakur
Union Minister Shantanu Thakur is counted among the most influential leaders of the Matua community. Shantanu Thakur, son of Manjul Krishna Thakur, who was a minister in Mamata Banerjee’s government, made the lotus bloom for the first time in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Bangaon, a TMC stronghold. Shantanu is also the first non-TMC MP from Bangaon. When the ruling party’s hold weakened and the BJP’s base strengthened among the Matua community, which was once the core voter of the TMC, Shantanu is said to be behind it.
Locket Chatterjee
Locket Chatterjee, who came into politics from the film world, is the general secretary of West Bengal BJP. She has also been an MP from Hooghly seat of South Bengal. Locket Chatterjee started her political journey with TMC. Later she joined BJP. Locket Chatterjee remains aggressive against the Mamata government
