Infighting, defections, demoralised cadre: Many challenges for Amit Shah in West Bengal

Amit Shah’s visit to West Bengal is the first since the BJP suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of TMC in the assembly elections last year.

(Amit Shah inaugurates BSF's Floating Border Outposts at Hingalganj in Sundarbans, Pic Courtesy: IANS)

New Delhi: Only last week, Mamata Banerjee had accused the BSF of “entering villages, killing people and throwing them on the other side”. “Ask them to take state police into confidence while working on any operation,” she instructed her police, in what had led to a fresh slugfest between the Centre and the Trinamool Congress government. 

Mamata’s rant was against the Centre’s decision to authorise BSF to undertake search, seizure and arrest operations within a 50-km stretch, up from 15 kms, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam. 

And on May 5, Union Home minister Amit Shah sent a subtle message to the TMC supremo by beginning his two-day Bengal visit by attending a BSF event in North 24 Parganas. “I understand that without the help of local administration, it is difficult to check infiltration and cross-border smuggling. But I would like to assure you that the political situation here will be such that you will get that help,” he quipped. 

In fact, Shah is scheduled to attend a number of BSF events during his stay in Bengal, apart from meeting BJP leaders to take stock of the state unit. What transpires between Shah and senior border officials would in all likelihood be kept under wraps, but it assumes immense significance given Mamata’s hostility against the Centre. 

All eyes would also be on how the Union Home minister plans to rejuvenate the directionless and infighting-plagued state unit. Shah’s visit to Bengal is the first since the BJP suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of TMC in the assembly elections last year. The debacle was followed by massive violence against BJP workers and widespread desertion, including by its MLAs. In such a situation, Shah has his task cut out. 

Let’s have a look at the major challenges before the Chanakya:

Intense factionalism 

From being a major contender in the 2021 assembly polls to its near-complete rout in the municipal elections held earlier this year, the BJP’s fortunes have witnessed a rapid slide in just a few months. The problems have multiplied ever since Lok Sabha MP Sukanta Majumdar took over as president of the Bengal BJP unit from Dilip Ghosh. 

Majumdar wanted a complete overhaul of the party’s organisational structure in Bengal. However, he ended up angering several other MPs and party leaders, who quit the BJP’s WhatsApp groups, expressing displeasure at being left out of the state committee. In retaliation, Majumdar had dissolved all departments and cells of the state unit and expelled some dissenters. But the rebels have grown stronger with each passing day. 

One of the disgruntled leaders is Bongaon MP Shantanu Thakur, who belongs to the influential Matua community, riding on whom the BJP gained a foothold in South Bengal. The Matuas, who trace their origin to Bangladesh, are also upset with the BJP for the delay in implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act. 

Demoralised cadre 

Soon after the TMC’s victory in the assembly elections last year, massive violence broke out against BJP workers. Many were killed; thousands of homes and properties were looted, burnt and captured; women were raped; while thousands more fled their homes to escape the violence. All this while, the role of police remained questionable. 

Most leaders were nowhere to be seen during the onslaught, leaving the grassroots level workers to their fate. Kailash Vijayvargiya, in-charge of the BJP in Bengal, hasn’t returned to the state ever since the election results. Workers felt neglected, and were often forced to renounce the BJP or join the TMC to return home. As one post-poll violence victim had lamented, “Everyone wants a share in victory, none in defeat.” 

In such a situation, one of Shah’s major challenges in Bengal would be to boost the morale of his disillusioned workers. 

Defections 

Several BJP bigwigs such as Mukul Roy and Babul Supriyo have quit the party, often over differences with the state leadership. But what has the party worried is that these leaders have also taken with them a sizeable chunk of workers and supporters. 

A large number of district and lower-level leaders have headed for the BJP’s exit door, and the state leadership has no plan to stop the exodus or arrest the slide in performance. All it can do now is hope that Amit Shah comes up with better ideas to keep the flock intact so the party can put up a good fight in next year’s panchayat polls. 

Organisational overhaul 

What the BJP lacks the most in Bengal is an acceptable local face who can take Mamata head-on. BJP insiders admit that too much reliance on central leaders sends out the message to the electorate that the party has not been able to groom local leaders. Though former Mamata aide Suvendu Adhikari has shown the intent, this is one area that needs to be addressed by Amit Shah on an urgent basis. 

‘Soft stance’ against Mamata? 

Many BJP workers view the central leadership as being soft on Mamata in their quest for a Congress-mukt Bharat. This in turn encourages TMC workers to attack BJP supporters, they say. In such a situation, rather than mere lip service, Amit Shah will have to adopt a more aggressive stance against Mamata so as to gain the confidence of his party workers.