In a possible setback for the BJP in West Bengal, Union minister Shantanu Thakur on Monday left the West Bengal BJP WhatsApp group, prompting speculation that many within the party feel that he is trying to sway Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders. Trying to send emotion.
Sources close to Thakur told CNN-News18 that despite all the discussions, “it is impossible that he jumps ship and joins TMC”. He said that he would stay within the system and fight. Sources said that Thakur’s problem is essentially to include people from Dilip Ghosh’s camp in the state committee. When Ghosh was the state president, Thakur was constantly pushed and sidelined.
BJP sources say that Thakur has neither approached the party nor has the party approached him. They will wait for them to take up the issue at the appropriate forum.
Thakur clarified that he has left the ‘West Bengal BJP WhatsApp group’ but is present in other BJP WhatsApp groups. “I will soon inform the media persons about my future stand,” he said.
Presently, Thakur holds the portfolio of Minister of State in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. He is a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Bongaon in North 24-Parganas district.
Welcoming Thakur’s move, senior TMC leader and state forest minister Jyotipriyo Malik said, “Whatever he said about the BJP is true. His stand proved that he is a true Matua leader. Matua people believe in peace and love and BJP used them for political gains.
Thakur had expressed displeasure over not giving prominence to the leaders of the Matua community in the revised list of state committee members, district president, district in-charge, department in-charge and department coordinators recently announced by state BJP president Sukant Majumdar. 23 December.
Following the development, five BJP MLAs left the party’s legislature’s official WhatsApp group: Asim Sarkar (Haringhata MLA in Nadia), Ambika Roy (Kalyani MLA in Nadia), Subrata Thakur (Gayghat MLA in North 24-Parganas), Mukut Mani Adhikari (Ranaghat South MLA in Nadia) and Ashok Kirtaniya (Banagaon North MLA in North 24-Parganas district).
Thakur then sought an appointment with the national party president JP Nadda to discuss the matter with the five disgruntled MLAs. Sources said Nadda assured them that their grievances would be heard.
TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy told News18, “I will not name any particular person but it is true that BJP leaders are leaving their party’s WhatsApp group. Soon, they will leave BJP as they are politically active in West Bengal.” are unimportant.”
This is not the first time that Thakur has expressed dissatisfaction over the central leadership’s role in issues related to the Matua community.
On December 29, 2020, Thakur had told Home Minister Amit Shah that the Center should clarify its stand on the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state.
Thakur, who won the Bongaon seat riding on the waves of “BJP’s promise of citizenship” to the Matua community, is now in an awkward position over the delay in the implementation of the CAA in Bengal.
The anger among those close to Thakur has intensified after the state party president left out the Matua leaders in the reshuffle list prepared on December 23.
Thakur, who is also the joint president of All India Matua Mahasangh, has been missing from BJP meetings recently.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha, apart from winning the confidence of the ‘Matua community’, the BJP also managed to capitalize on the Left Front’s vote share, helping Shantanu Thakur to elbow the heavyweight Trinamool Congress candidate Mamta Thakur. Then Shantanu Thakur defeated Mamta by about 96,000 votes.
The Matua community was a major force behind Mamata Banerjee’s victory over the 34-year-old Left-Front government in the 2011 assembly elections.
However, during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the shift in Left votes and the rift between Matua created a favorable situation for the BJP because of its CAA card.
But now that the CAA process has been delayed due to Covid-19, TMC has managed to regain its ground in Matua-dominated areas.
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