BJP faces internal dissent in Goalpokhar and Karandighi
Raiganj: Discontent has surfaced within a section of BJP workers in Goalpokhar and Karandighi assembly constituencies of North Dinajpur district following the party’s announcement of candidates for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. The developments highlight emerging internal challenges for the BJP in North Dinajpur ahead of the crucial assembly elections.
The BJP recently released its first list of candidates for the 2026 polls, naming Swarajit Biswas from Goalpokhar and advocate Biraj Biswas from Karandighi. However, local party members in both constituencies have expressed dissatisfaction, alleging that their opinions were overlooked during the selection process.
In Goalpokhar, a section of BJP workers reportedly remained inactive in election campaigning after the party nominated Swarajit Biswas. Local leaders had instead demanded Mahammad Gulam Salwar, a prominent leader of the BJP minority cell, as the candidate. According to them, Salwar had been working for years to strengthen the party’s base among minority communities in the area. On Tuesday, Swarajit Biswas visited Nandajhar and interacted with locals at the marketplace. However, several local BJP leaders were conspicuously absent during the visit, reflecting internal differences. A party worker, requesting anonymity, said that Salwar’s grassroots efforts made him a more suitable candidate to challenge Trinamool Congress heavyweight Gulam Rabbani. The worker added that many supporters have distanced themselves from campaign activities in protest and urged the party’s state and central leadership to reconsider the candidature.
A similar situation has emerged in Karandighi, where the selection of Biraj Biswas has not gone down well with a section of local BJP members. They have demanded that the party field a candidate from the Rajbanshi community, which they claim plays a decisive role in the constituency’s electoral outcome. Party workers pointed out that several past winners in Karandighi, including leaders from different parties, belonged to the Rajbanshi community, making it a key factor in determining results. They have appealed to district leadership to take this demographic reality into account.
Responding to the unrest, Biswajit Lahiri, a member of the North Dinajpur BJP committee, acknowledged the grievances and stated: “It is difficult to select a universally acceptable candidate but be assured that party leaders would hold discussions with dissatisfied members.” Lahiri expressed confidence that differences would be resolved soon and that all party workers would ultimately unite to campaign in favour of the BJP symbol.
