BJP MP, MLA in public spat a day after Modi’s address
Times of India | 22 December 2025
Kolkata: A day after PM Narendra Modi's visit to Bengal, a simmering rift within the BJP-backed All India Matua Mahasangha (AIMM) took a dramatic turn on Sunday afternoon after BJP's Bongaon MP and junior Union minister Shantanu Thakur and his brother, Gaighata BJP MLA Subrata Thakur, were involved in a public spat at Thakurbari in Thakurnagar.
Tension flared after the private SUV of BJP's Bongaon organizational district president Bikash Ghosh was allegedly locked with a chain and padlock by Subrata's supporters on the Thakurbari premises. Ghosh had arrived to meet Shantanu amid an ongoing dispute over the appointment of the BJP mandal (area) president in Gaighata mandal–1.
According to sources, Subrata's supporters locked Ghosh's car in protest against what they termed was a deliberate delay by the district leadership in announcing the name for the past four months. As news of the locked vehicle reached Shantanu, he rushed to the spot and ordered the chain to be removed. A verbal altercation soon broke out between the brothers in full public view, with BJP netas, Matua community members and AIMM functionaries present.
Shantanu and his supporters eventually broke the lock and ensured that Ghosh's car was freed, allowing him to leave the premises. Subrata, however, denied his direct involvement in the locking of the car. "Some agitated workers locked the district president's car. I did not put the lock myself," he said. Sources at Thakurbari said the root of the conflict lies in the recent restructuring of BJP's Bongaon organization and the selection of the mandal president. Subrata reportedly proposed the name of a BJP neta from his faction, which was rejected by Shantanu and Ghosh, who favoured another candidate.
Subrata alleged that the delay was weakening BJP at the grassroots. "Because of the absence of organizational leadership, Trinamool and Left are regaining ground, and party workers are angry," he claimed.
Shantanu termed the incident inappropriate and said organizational issues should be resolved through discussion. "If there are complaints, they should be addressed through dialogue. Locking a car is not the right way," he said. Ghosh declined to comment.
Reacting to the incident, TMC MP Mamata Thakur said shouting and arguments were heard at Thakurbari. "We later learnt that the district president's car was locked. This is an internal matter of BJP, and such incidents will happen again," she said.