Bengal BJP chief appoints Lok Sabha in-charges for 42 parliamentary constituencies
Telegraph | 1 January 2024
Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar on Saturday appointed Lok Sabha in-charges or prabharis for the 42 parliamentary constituencies in the state, the move close on the heels of Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda coming down to Calcutta and forming the election management committee in Bengal.
"We have appointed 42 prabharis (in-charges) for an equal number Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Each of them will have joint prabharis to assist them in their work," Majumdar said on Saturday.
BJP sources said the appointment of in-charge and joint in-charge for each of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies was the first step towards setting up election management committees in these parliamentary areas in line with the directions given by the Shah-Nadda duo in their meeting with the state leadership on December 26.
These party in-charges and deputy in-charges of the Lok Sabha constituencies will be aided by committees that are slated to be formed in the middle of January, sources added.
The decision entails the creation of individual committees for each Lok Sabha constituency, in addition to the state committee. Additionally, a dedicated election management committee will be formed in alignment with the legislative Assembly constituencies. According to BJP organisational structure, the Lok Sabhas are considered to be one district but in the case of Darjeeling, the mountainous and plain areas are considered separate districts.
"The Lok Sabha prabharis will work in close coordination with the state committee. They will be responsible for providing detailed reports of the constituency. This will help in formulating a strategy according to the requirements of the constituency. The prabharis will also take care of the organisation in a Lok Sabha constituency," BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.
During their stay, the Shah-Nadda duo conducted multiple meetings with Majumdar, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, former state president Dilip Ghosh and party veteran Rahul Sinha. Party sources said that besides setting up the 15-member election management, the national leaders also recommended the creation of smaller committees throughout the state.
“During their visit, the two leaders directed the state unit to establish small committees aimed at fortifying organisational districts and Assembly-level units. This decentralisation of power is not only intended to bolster these local bodies but also to contribute to the development of a robust organisational foundation of the BJP in Bengal,” a senior party leader said.
A BJP insider said the party was undergoing significant organisational restructuring ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
"A swift decision has been made to designate an individual in-charges for each of the 42 parliamentary seats These appointees will additionally function as 'supervisors' for the Lok Sabha. The party plans to establish an election office in every district, serving as the central control point for each respective district. The Lok Sabha offices will presently operate as the district office, and arrangements for a permanent address will be made quickly in areas where such offices do not exist.
“We will put every effort to reach the target of 35 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. The committees are a part of this plan. The state committee will direct the parliamentary constituency committees and from there instructions will proceed to committees at the legislative Assembly level. Feedback from the field will reach state committee through the same route,” a senior BJP leader said.