Internal feud in BJP erupts again as local leaders back Independent candidate for Bagdah bypoll

Kolkata: In a fierce contest against the BJP’s ‘outsider’ candidate for the Bagdah Assembly bypoll, a faction of local BJP leaders has chosen to back Satyajit Majumder, a local school teacher who may run as an Independent candidate. This move brings the internal discord within the party into the spotlight, as the leaders rally behind Majumder, preferring a local representative over the party’s official nominee.

Majumdar who is said to be an RSS worker has also accepted the demand of the local BJP leaders. The local party leaders had raised protest as soon as the BJP announced the name of its candidate for Bagdah Assembly Constituency.

A section of local BJP leaders said that their party has fielded an “outsider” as a candidate for Bagdah.

They instead want somebody to be the candidate who is the son of the soil. BJP has fielded Binay Kumar Biswas from Bagdah seat. Biswas is a resident of Akaipur area under Gopalnagar Police Station that falls under the Bongaon North Assembly Constituency. Some of the BJP leaders had also given an ultimatum that they would field an independent candidate if the BJP does not withdraw the candidature

of Biswas.

As no development took place, the local BJP leaders chose to nominate Majumder as an independent candidate. Majumdar is a resident of Bagdah.

A rally was also carried out by the BJP supporters in Helancha area of Bagdah on Tuesday in support of the independent candidate who may throw a major challenge to the BJP candidate, believe a section of BJP supporters under the constituency. Manoj Kumar Biswas is contesting from Ranaghat South assembly constituency on BJP ticket. Both Manoj Kumar Biswas and Binay Kumar Biswas belong to the Matua community which has a significant chunk of voters in Ranaghat South and Bagdah. Both the seats are

reserved for SCs.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) fielded Madhuparna Thakur, the daughter of the current party Rajya Sabha member Mamata Bala Thakur from Bagdah. Madhuparna was a surprise choice for Bagdah Assembly Constituency, where by-poll was necessitated because the erstwhile BJP MLA Biswajit Das resigned before the Lok Sabha polls.

Das was fielded as a candidate by the TMC from Bangaon Lok Sabha. But he was defeated. By-polls are slated to be held in four assembly seats in Bengal on July 10.