New Delhi: Concerned over party workers in West Bengal getting demotivated after the BJP’s defeat in the assembly polls, and to ensure they stay within the fold, party members from across the country will visit the state to show solidarity with them.
The move comes after the BJP, which lost the election despite recent gains in the state, alleged violent attacks on its cadres from members of the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Some of the Trinamool Congress turncoats who were inducted into the party ahead of the state polls seem to be making a beeline for their old political platform.
The BJP has been telling workers across the country about the “attacks” party cadres are suffering in West Bengal. National BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav addressed Assam party workers on 1 June through video conference on “harassment of BJP karyakartas in West Bengal”. The party had earlier said that the “victims of Bengal violence” had taken refuge in Assam.
Last week, BJP national general secretary and West Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya conducted a meeting with workers from Uttarakhand. A team of workers from the hill state will now visit West Bengal.
“He addressed the party workers and then there was a question-and-answer session too. He explained the atrocities and violence that have been inflicted on the party workers in West Bengal and how many have even lost their lives. We stand in solidarity with them,” said Uttarakhand BJP president Madan Kaushik.
A party functionary from West Bengal stated that “there is a need to galvanise the demoralised cadres and save them and their family members from attacks by the ruling party”.
“However, many workers were left to fend for themselves. This has only created anger among a group of workers and the central leadership felt it had to be addressed immediately,” said the party functionary.
Also Read: Bengal BJP still fuming over poll loss, blames Delhi: ‘They knew nothing of Bengali psyche’
Disenchantment with brass
According to BJP sources, a number of party workers in West Bengal had complained that senior leaders of the party simply vanished after their election defeat.
“Many felt they were left alone to fight their own battle after the defeat. Some had even got in touch with TMC leaders. We didn’t have our own cadres and many who were part of the BJP had come from other parties, so it was felt necessary to make them realise that the BJP is always with them,” said a second leader.
Some BJP workers across India have also expressed disappointment over what is seen as a lack of help from the BJP’s leadership for those facing health and financial distress on account of the Covid pandemic, sources in the party had told ThePrint last month.
In light of this, party president J.P. Nadda had directed state units to form committees to help cadres and their family members during this crisis.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
Also Read: Why BJP just can’t digest the election defeat to Mamata in West Bengal