Following the directives of BJP’s West Bengal state president Sukanta Majumdar, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista has begun his campaign to retain the Madarihat Assembly seat in the Alipurduar district.
“Mr Bista has been tasked with pacifying a group of rebel Gorkhas in Madarihat who could potentially split BJP’s vote bank in the by-poll, as the party has nominated a tribal candidate.”
Emphasising tea garden issues and women’s safety, Mr Bista is positioning these as key concerns to challenge the ruling Trinamul Congress in the upcoming bypoll.
Addressing party workers at an election meet, Mr Bista criticised the state government’s handling of women’s safety.
“The state government has utterly failed to protect your daughters, sisters, and mothers. Whether in Kolkata or the Dooars, criminals feel emboldened under the patronage of the ruling party,” he said.
Mr Bista further noted that fear and frustration have grown among citizens state-wide, including in Madarihat. “People are outraged at the corrupt and violent practices of the TMC. They want to send a clear message to Kolkata that this situation cannot continue,” he added.
“The TMC-led government has allowed the exploitation of tea workers to go unchecked, denying them even the most fundamental protections,” he stated.
In contrast, Mr Bista outlined BJP’s commitment to improving the conditions of tea workers.
He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s central government for implementing four new Labour Codes, which promise dignified wages, better living standards, enhanced social security, healthcare access, and safer working environments for tea workers.
“BJP will continue to champion the rights of tea garden workers, working tirelessly to ensure fair wages and strengthen law and order in the region and the state,” he concluded.
Mr Bista was joined in the campaign by Alipurduar MP Manoj Tigga, Dabgram-Fulbari MLA Shika Chatterjee, Mathabhanga MLA Sushil Barman, and other senior leaders and party workers.