Kolkata, June 8 (PTI) In the midst of the ongoing visit by BJP national president J P Nadda the infighting in the party’s West Bengal unit came out in the open on Wednesday with its vice-president Raju Banerjee claiming he was not invited to the state executive meeting.
The meeting held during the day was attended by Nadda.
Banerjee, considered to be close to BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh who was recently warned by the party’s top brass for speaking against the state unit, claimed that he was neither informed nor invited to any of the meetings that Nadda is scheduled to hold with the state office bearers.
“I have neither been informed nor received any invite for our national president J P Nadda Ji’s programme. I don’t know why. I will ask the party leadership why I was not invited,” Banerjee said.
Senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha said the matter would be looked into.
“The state party vice-president should have been invited. Those in charge of organising the events will look into why he did not receive an invite,” he said.
According to state BJP sources, several party MLAs were not present at the state executive committee meeting held at the National Library and addressed by Nadda.
“Some of the MLAs and leaders have cited valid reasons. But some have not informed the party of their reason for not attending the meeting. We are looking into it,” a senior state BJP leader said.
Nadda’s visit to Bengal this time is significant as the state BJP unit, which is still licking its wounds after the defeat in the Assembly poll held in 2021, is plagued by infighting and exodus to the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Several senior leaders are engaged in feuds on and off social media, leaving little time for the party’s growth.
The state unit has been fighting hard to keep its flock together after former union minister Babul Supriyo, party MP Arjun Singh and five legislators, including its national vice-president Mukul Roy, switched over to the TMC since the assembly poll results last year. PTI PNT KK KK KK
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