“We will save Hindus and we will save the Constitution. I have spoken about nationalist Muslims and you all said ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. But I will say it no more. Rather we will now say ‘jo hamare saath hum unke saath’. Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas bandh karo. (We are with those who are with us. Let’s put an end to ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’),” the Nandigram MLA said at the state BJP’s first working committee meeting after the Lok Sabha polls, in Kolkata.

“There is no need for a minority morcha (for the BJP),” he added.

The BJP saw its tally come down to 12 from the 18 it won in 2019 in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Adhikari was under fire from a section of BJP leaders as he had a say in the selection of candidates for about 30 seats.

There was no immediate reaction from other state BJP leaders to Adhikari’s statement on the prime minister’s slogan.

A few days ago, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said the party cannot win elections by using central agencies and putting leaders of the ruling TMC behind bars.

“At times, workers would ask for CBI action to arrest someone. They think that it will ensure a win in the constituency. But it will not happen. Workers may think that arresting a leader will ensure a win from the constituency. But that is not possible,” Majumdar said at a workers’ meet in Midnapore on July 13.