BJP faces challenges with declining membership

Cooch Behar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Cooch Behar is facing significant challenges, with dwindling public support and declining membership numbers. Despite holding six of the district’s nine Assembly seats, BJP leaders are criticised for their lack of grassroots engagement, which has affected their membership drive.

BJP’s ongoing membership campaign, which began on October 28 and will run until November 27, has so far garnered only 30,000 members — far below the 2.57 lakh members enrolled during the 2019 campaign. With the November deadline approaching, doubts remain over whether the party can reach even one lakh enrollments.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP’s Nisith Pramanik secured victory in Cooch Behar, followed by success in the 2021 Assembly elections, where the party won seven of nine seats in the district. However, setbacks followed as Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Udayan Guha reclaimed the Dinhata seat in a by-election, later becoming a minister. The BJP’s district committee also underwent a reshuffle, replacing several experienced members with new faces lacking grassroots connections.

Commenting on the situation, BJP’s Cooch Behar South MLA Nikhil Ranjan De stated: “The membership campaign, which began on October 28, faced interruptions due to

festival celebrations. However, the drive has resumed and we are confident of meeting our target.” On the other hand, TMC district president Abhijit De Bhowmik criticised the BJP’s performance, saying: “BJP leaders are more active on social media than on the ground.

Their MPs and MLAs have done little for the people over the past five years. Many BJP Panchayat leaders have already joined the TMC after witnessing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s development initiatives. The public is now turning away from the BJP.”