Raiganj: Infighting in the BJP camp has come out in the open with allegations being levelled against Basudeb Sarkar, president of North Dinajpur BJP committee for working against party candidate during election.
Bina Jha, former vice-president of district women cell of BJP, has alleged that Basudev Sarkar’s actions indicated an attempt at ensuring party candidate Kartick Paul’s defeat from the Raiganj seat that had gone to polls on April 26.
It is reported that since the last Panchayat elections, Bina Jha has been protesting against activities of Basudeb Sarkar. As a BJP leader, she had also organised a movement demanding sitting MP Debasree Chaudhuri not be given a ticket from Raiganj for the second term. Party insiders claim that owing to this the, BJP think tanks fielded Debasree Chaudhuri from South Kolkata seat instead of Raiganj.
Addressing media persons the day after the polls, on Saturday, Bina Jha said: “During the Parliamentary election process, the district president confined himself to the party office. He did not meet common people in rural belts. Vehicle bills of party supporters who had attended Prime Minister Modi’s rally, have not been reimbursed yet. The expenditure of booths during elections have also not been paid. Such actions of the BJP district president upset the supporters. In addition there were hardly any wall writings as other
campaign events. Everything was done to defeat the BJP candidate. If the BJP candidate fails to win, the president will be responsible,” she stated. She reportedly made such remarks in her WhatsApp group also.
She further stated: “Basudev Sarkar is still misbehaving with both old and new BJP members. There will be a by-election in Raiganj Assembly seat next time. If the president remains the same, in the Raiganj Assembly by-election, the party will face defeat.”
Basudeb Sarkar did not want to comment. Incidentally, Kishan Kalyani, TMC MLA, has resigned from MLA-ship and contested the MP elections as the TMC candidate.