Don't demand separate state, says BJP chief Nadda

Kolkata: BJP national president J P Nadda has instructed party leaders not to make any statement on separation of North Bengal.

He was addressing a workers' convention at the Science City auditorium on Thursday afternoon.

Moreover, he made it clear that on policy matters of the party, only senior

leaders would issue statements and no one else. Nadda is on a two-day tour to Bengal.

The controversy began after Bishnupada Sharma, the MLA from Kurseong made a statement on Wednesday that North Bengal would be divided.

To cover up, Raju Bista, the MP from Darjeeling and Debashree Chowdhury,

the MP from Raigunj, said this was not the view of the party.

BJP leaders had from time-to-time demanded a separate North Bengal. During her recent visit to Alipurduar, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that she would rather give blood but not allow division of North Bengal.

Earlier in the day, Nadda could not enter the party office in Chinsurah after he found it locked.

The local leaders could not find the keys. After waiting for a few minutes, he left for Chandannagore.

Meanwhile, slamming Nadda for his statement at the workers' convention that Bengal would be run by the BJP soon, Kunal Ghosh, the TMC state secretary, said: "His statement to boost up party workers and leaders are far from reality.

"In 2021Assembly elections, the people of this state gave him a befitting reply to the tall claims that BJP would get more than 200 seats.

"Next time Nadda comes to Bengal, he will find many of them who had taken photographs with him leaving the party."