BJP’s MP, MLA in verbal spat as bickering comes to the fore
Times of India | 18 February 2025
1234 Kolkata: BJP's Tamluk MP Abhijit Ganguly got embroiled in a verbal spat with the party's Haldia MLA Tapasi Mandal on Sunday. While Ganguly alleged that Mandal and her associates were trying to organise themselves under separate outfits, the MLA claimed the MP was unaware of the reality.
The war-of-words coincided with BJP's Gangarampur MLA Satyendra Nath Roy speaking out against the party's office-bearer picks.
At a programme organised by Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Ganguly was critical of "a section of BJP leaders". "There are workers who depend on BMS. However, there is an effort to break BMS and make them join an organisation called BJMC. Unfortunately, some party functionaries have taken a lead in this. I have asked people to stay away from such efforts," he said.
Terming the new organisation as a "fraud", Ganguly said people were being defrauded by this organisation. "I told people that they need to be aware and not get cheated," he said.
MLA Mandal took a dig at Ganguly, claiming he was new to the party. "Every worker has the right to join an organisation. The MP is not aware of the realities in Haldia. He is a newcomer to the party. As an MLA, I have never been part of any worker's organisation. If a worker is in trouble, I try to help him," Mandal said.
Trinamool slammed BJP's internal bickering, alleging it was "a ploy to extort money from people". Tamluk TMC organisational district general secretary Sibnath Sarkar said BJP was engaged in mopping up money from people. "In the past few years, we have seen how people are being arm-twisted to pay cut money in Haldia. There is a competition between the leaders."
Meanwhile, Roy, the BJP MLA from South Dinajpur's Gangarampur, voiced his concern over the selection of mandal presidents. In a Facebook post, BJP veteran Roy said mandal presidents were elected keeping him completely in the dark.
"Elected MLAs do not have a space in the party. I have never even heard of the mandal president at Kardaha. People know me more as an organiser and I had named a BJP veteran for the mandal president's post. It is unfortunate that those who wanted to pull me down in the last assembly poll were given prominence while choosing candidates," he said.