Poor organisation: BJP fails to hold protest

alipurduar: Time and again BJP’s pre-announced programmes have been falling flat. With the ongoing AITTUC’s protest programmes in front of the houses of BJP MPs and MLAs, the BJP had vowed to launch a counter agitation.

However, the protest programmes have failed to see the light of day.

Furthering the discomfort of the saffron brigade, the BJP MLA from Alipurduar Suman Kanjilal switched over to the TMC party on Sunday in Kolkata in the presence of TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

Incidentally, the TMC has launched protest programmes in front of houses of BJP MPs and MLAs in Terai and Dooars tea belt over various issues, including non-payment of PF of tea garden workers.

On Sunday, the agitation hit the 10th day mark. On February 2, BJP, addressing media persons, had stated that they too would launch a counter protest programme in front of the house of Sabhadipati of Alipurduar Zilla Parishad on February 3 and 4. However, the agitation failed to see the light of day.“The BJP does not have a party organisation in the district owing to this they were forced to cancel the programme. However, repeated failures of BJP to hold political programmes are clear indicators of the future- and how they will fare in the forthcoming Panchayat polls in the district,” stated Sheela Das Sarkar, Sabhadhipati of Alipurduar Zilla Parishad.

Countering this Bhushan Modak, the district president of BJP, claimed that a team from the state leadership has been camping in the Alipurduar district for the last two days.

“All BJP leaders and supporters are busy there. Kumargram MLA Manoj Oraon is also campaigning in Tripura. Due to these reasons we could not hold the programme,” claimed Modak.

Prior to this the BJP had planned to hold an agitation on January 19 in the district against the alleged failures of the state government to address problems of the tea gardens and the workers.

The date coincided with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s welfare scheme distribution programme at Suhashini Garden grounds.