Unable to get candidates, BJP keeps box at its Bankura office inviting candidates to submit their bio-data

Kolkata: Getting candidates for the upcoming civic elections have become a major concern for the state unit of the BJP.

On January 22, elections will be held in four corporations, namely, Bidhannagore, Siliguri, Asansol and Chandannagore.

A senior BJP leader preferring anonymity said after the poll debacle of the party in 2021 Assembly election, many youths who had joined the party have left. There was a time before the Assembly election when joining fairs had been held in the districts. Since May when the elections results were out and the party got only 77 seats, youths who had joined started deserting the saffron camp. BJP failed to get workers in the by-elections and also during the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls.

After failing to rope in youths, the Bankura district office of the party has given advertisements in local newspapers asking willing candidates to submit their bio-data in the party office. A box has been kept at the party office to receive the applications.

The leader said this will help the party in getting candidates and stop the fight between the old and new party members. If successful, this model will be replicated throughout the state.

He said some central leaders are expected to address the factional feud that is cropping up in the party's state unit. The leaders will sit with the state president and other committee members. They will also discuss the road map for thecivic polls.