Two BJP leaders leave party

Kolkata: BJP leaders from Dantan in West Midnapore have resigned to protest against the high-handedness of the CBI in arresting two ministers, former Mayor and an MLA at a time where there is a surge in Covid cases at the instigation of the party.

Ranjit Mullick, president Dantan Block I and Bikas Das, president of Kishan Morcha of Dantan Block, sent their resignations to Soumen Tiwari, the district president on Saturday. It may be mentioned that some BJP leaders in Cooch Behar also resigned on Friday on similar grounds. Former TMC MLA from Basirhat South Dipendu Biswas who had joined BJP before the elections resigned on Wednesday after failing to get proper recognition in the party.

While Mullick said he had resigned on personal grounds, Das said the vindictive attitude of the central leadership in using the CBI to harass two ministers, former Mayor and an MLA at a time when the state was struggling with Covid surge was uncalled for. "What the central leadership is doing will affect the party's prospects in Bengal."

Though the district leaders said the event would not affect the party, insiders maintained that this had created a major flutter within the party. Even most of the state BJP leaders did not support the way the CBI at the instigation of the central leadership had arrested the leaders. "Already, people have rejected the central leadership and its negative role now would affect the party's growth in Bengal. We will have to pay a very heavy price in future for the high handedness of the central leadership," he added.