BJP workers pay no heed to diktat of Central leadership, continue stir

Kolkata: Disregarding the diktat of BJP's Central leadership banning rallies to express resentment against the party's nominees for the forthcoming Assembly elections, workers and supporters continued to protest demanding change of nominees in different areas across the state.

BJP workers in Nadia South have tendered resignations en mass, demanding change of two turncoats from Trinamool Congress (TMC) who had been made candidates, namely, Arindam Bhattacharya and Parthasarathi Chatterjee.

Bhattacharya, who was Trinamool MLA from Shantipur in Nadia, has been nominated from Jagatdal while Chatterjee is contesting from Ranaghat North West. The agitating BJP workers alleged that the turncoats had been given nomination depriving many able leaders, who had been working for the party for many years. They alleged that "both are known as extortionists in their respective areas and their public image is dark." They demanded that the duo should be replaced immediately.

In Dum Dum, party workers put up a roadblock demanding replacement of Bimal Shankar Nanda. In Singur, party activists continued to stage demonstrations demanding replacement of Rabindranath Bhattacharya, a turncoat from Trinamool. They said they would not accept Bhattacharya who had joined the party just a week before the list was announced. BJP old-timers white-washed the walls reserved for drawing graffiti in favour of Bhattacharya.

Meanwhile, wife of Soumen Roy, BJP candidate from Kaliagunj, has alleged that her husband was involved in illicit affairs with several women. This caused quite an embarrassment to the saffron party. The party bosses in Kolkata said they would look into the matter. The state leaders said the national leaders had made it very clear that the candidates would not be changed and urged every party worker to toil hard for the party keeping aside their resentment.