BJP faces poll ambition hurdle?
Kolkata: With several frontline leaders eyeing a shot at the 2026 Assembly polls, the BJP in Bengal is struggling to restructure its state committee, sources revealed. The party’s “one man, one post” doctrine has further compounded the challenge, leaving the top brass grappling with organisational gaps.
Sources also indicated that a large section of leaders are more interested in contesting elections than in shouldering organisational responsibilities. Many are reluctant to devote time to rebuilding the party structure, which has been on a steady decline — a trend reflected in a string of poor performances in recent elections. For the BJP, the race to balance personal ambitions with organisational needs is fast emerging as a crucial test ahead of 2026.
Sunil Bansal, the BJP’s central observer, has made it clear to Bengal leaders that those intending to contest the 2026 Assembly elections must relinquish their organisational posts.
The directive has complicated the already fraught process of forming a new state committee, with political observers noting that the party is struggling to strike a balance between ambition and organisation.
While central leaders remain hopeful that the committee will be announced soon, state leaders are maintaining a studied silence. Sources within the BJP say many leaders holding key portfolios are eager to jump into the electoral fray, while some central leaders would prefer to see them remain in organisational roles.
Speculation is rife that state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya may unveil the new committee before Mahalaya. Union Home minister Amit Shah is expected to visit Kolkata around the same time to inaugurate Durga Puja pandals, and state leaders are trying to fix a meeting so that the reconstituted committee can interact with him. Since taking charge, Bhattacharya has attempted to strike a careful balance within the state unit.
He has sought to bring former state president Dilip Ghosh back into the spotlight, while stressing the need to harness the experience of old leaders alongside the energy of new entrants.
