BJP in damage control mode after Suvendu’s ‘no need for sabka saath, sabka vikas’ remark

Kolkata: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday attributed the party’s poor performance in Lok Sabha polls in Bengal to a lack of support from the minority community, questioning PM Modi’s slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ stating that it was unnecessary and instead proposed ‘Hum unke saath jo humare saath’ (we are with those who are with us).

Dismissing the need for the Minority Morcha of the party, Adhikari said: “We will save Hindus and we will save the Constitution. I have spoken about nationalist Muslims and you all said ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. But I will say it no more. Rather we will now say ‘jo hamare saath hum unke saath’. Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas bandh karo. (We are with those who are with us. Let’s put an end to ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’). There is no need for a minority morcha (for the BJP),” he added.

The Bengal BJP unit, however, distanced itself from Adhikari’s comments as “personal remarks” and went into a damage control mode.

“The party doesn’t share his views,” state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said.

Later, Adhikari claimed that his comments had been taken out of context and asserted that he embodies in letter and spirit PM Modi’s call for ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’.

In 2014, the BJP’s slogan was ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’, and in 2019, it was ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’.

Referring to Adhikari’s remark, Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Riju Dutta in a post on X said: “The @BJP4Bengal LOP @SuvenduWB Deviates from “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” Slogan of Sh. @narendramodi himself…Guess he’s probably taller than Mr. Modi in BJP!”

Dutta continued: “Jo Hamare Saath, Hum Unke Saath” & “there is no need of Minority Morcha in BJP”. Which essentially means @BJP4India is a party only for the Hindus and there is no place for Muslims in it. This is Unconstitutional & Anti National! Waiting for @narendramodi @AmitShah & @JPNadda ‘s remark!!” Dutta added. Adhikari also stated that he did not switch over to the BJP after losing everything like Mukul Roy.