Jalpaiguri: Amid sustained protests by party workers, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has replaced its candidate for the Maynaguri Assembly Constituency, dropping sitting MLA Kaushik Roy and fielding Dalim Roy in his place.
The announcement, made on Monday night, triggered celebrations among BJP leaders and workers. On Tuesday, party supporters gathered in front of the party office, celebrating the decision by playing with abir (coloured powder) and distributing sweets alongside the newly declared candidate.
The change comes in the wake of mounting discontent within the party ranks over Kaushik Roy’s renomination. Party workers alleged that the outgoing MLA had failed to maintain public contact and had done little developmental work over the past five years, leading to widespread resentment.
Tensions had escalated on March 26, when agitated BJP workers locked district president Shyamal Roy and other district leaders inside the party office during a protest. Demonstrators warned of boycotting election campaigning if their demands were not addressed, intensifying pressure on the state leadership.
Following days of unrest, the BJP leadership ultimately conceded to the demands and announced Dalim Roy as the new candidate.
Expressing his gratitude, Dalim Roy said: “The aspirations of every worker in the Maynaguri Assembly constituency have been fulfilled today. The party has understood the concerns of its workers and has entrusted me with this responsibility. My goal is to ensure the party’s victory from this seat.”
Kaushik Roy, however, declined to comment on the development.
Reacting to the situation, Trinamool Congress district general secretary Jhulan Sanyal took a swipe at the BJP, stating: “As a resident of Maynaguri, I can say that we have hardly seen the BJP MLA over the past five years. While the people elected him with high expectations, he failed to deliver. The change of candidate reflects internal divisions within the BJP, which will benefit us. The chances of victory for our candidate, Ram Mohan Roy, have now increased further.”