‘BJP faces organisational setback in North Bengal’
Jalpaiguri: North Bengal, once a stronghold for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is witnessing a decline in organisational strength despite an increase in primary membership. Over the past decade, the BJP built a robust presence in the region, but recent figures reveal only 5,937 of 29,500 registered members are actively engaged in the party.
As of December 25, the BJP reported 7,59,360 primary memberships across nine organisational districts of North Bengal.
South Dinajpur leads with 1,45,900 members, followed by Cooch Behar (1,05,924) and Jalpaiguri (1,04,369). Alipurduar recorded 96,693 members, while Malda North, North Dinajpur, and Malda South registered 85,440, 73,396, and 68,091 members, respectively. The Siliguri subdivision saw 65,140 memberships, and Darjeeling Hills, including Kalimpong, had only 14,209
new members.
However, the number of actively engaged members remains low. In South Dinajpur, 1,341 out of 2,600 registered active members are operational. Similarly, Cooch Behar has 910 of 4,300, and Jalpaiguri has 675 of 3,700 actively working. Alipurduar, Malda North, and North Dinajpur show similar trends, with only a fraction of registered active members contributing to party activities.
BJP leaders acknowledge the challenges. Jalpaiguri District BJP President and State Committee Member Bapi Goswami stated, “Primary membership has increased by 30 per cent to 51 per cent in districts. For instance, Jalpaiguri’s membership rose from 51,000 last year to 53,000 this year. This growth is due to workers’ efforts, with primary membership enrolled online via the Modi app.”
However, electoral setbacks have raised concerns within the party. Despite good performances in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP lost key constituencies, including Cooch Behar Parliamentary Constituency in 2024, Dhupguri (Jalpaiguri) and Madarihat (Alipurduar) Assembly in recent by-elections. As the 2026 Assembly elections approach, the party plans to conduct an Assembly-based review following the membership drive to address these challenges.
The TMC, however, remains critical. TMC Jalpaiguri District President Mohua Gope commented, “The BJP gained momentum in North Bengal through false promises. They have failed to deliver on their commitments and now, the people of North Bengal are aware of their propaganda. That is why there is a decline in support for the BJP.”
