Rift within BJP: Anupam Hazra says he wasn’t invited to Shah rally

Even as the BJP on Wednesday apparently gained some confidence with the Union Home minister Amit Shah addressing a rally in the city ahead of Parliamentary elections, not all is well within the party’s state unit as its leader Anupam Hazra alleged that he wasn’t even invited for the event.

Hazra, of late, has paved the way for a discomfort within the partyfold due to his rebellious stance. He told the media on Wednesday that he was not invited for the event and as of late he is being avoided by the state BJP leaders for speaking out the truth. He said he watched the event at his home on television. Hazra also lamented that the last time he had gone to attend such an event, there wasn’t even a chair for him to sit. The now errant BJP leader said that every party worker wants to be present at a rally that is being addressed by the top rung leaders and yet he was not invited despite holding a significant position within the party. Recently, he had lamented that he is also not called to the party meetings.

Hazra remarked in the recent past that staying in BJP is equivalent to slavery. “Bengal BJP is now in such a shape that if one gets a post, he/she will become a slave. One will be served show-causes for trivial issues or he/she will be suspended or sacked. Do we love to be slaves?” asked Hazra.

Further, he had taken to his social media account to write that for those BJP workers in Bengal who have been neglected or cornered by the party, a Facebook page will be set up. The platform will allow these workers to vent their displeasure.

The discomfort with the saffron brigade surrounding Hazra has caused a stir within the party fold and complaints were also made to the BJP national president J P Nadda. In such a scenario, speculation is rife that Hazra may switch camps to TMC ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, especially when TMC Chairperson Mamata Banerjee has recently opened the party doors for induction of new members.