BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda is going to West Bengal on 9 January in order to handle the trouble brewing in the state unit of the party for the last one week.
Nadda’s visit will come after Union Minister and Bongaon MP, Shantanu Thakur, exited from BJP official WhatsApp groups on Monday night alleging that the state BJP leadership was trying to weaken him and the Matua community in Bengal by ignoring them. Thakur had been upset over the recent organizational appointments in the state unit, which he claimed, gave no representation to either his associates or anyone from the electorally strong Matua community, which regards Thakur as their “god”. Thakur is also the head of the All India Matua Mahasangha. Matuas are classified as Scheduled Caste.
The proverbial last straw that broke the camel’s back took place on 25 December when the state unit appointed an “anti-Shantanu” man as the District President of Bongaon, despite Thakur suggesting and recommending another name for the post.
In a series of rapid developments after that, at least 5 MLAs close to Thakur left all the official BJP WhatsApp group to register their anger. On Tuesday, he convened a meeting of all his supporting MLAs (atleast 8 MLAs) and a large number of Matuas at his residence in Thakurnagar, Bongaon. Soon after this, the party leadership intervened with Nadda deciding to personally visit the state and take stock of the situation first hand. Sources in Bengal BJP said Nadda’s decision also came after the current state president Sukanta Mazumdar reportedly expressed his displeasure over the ‘internal fights’ that were taking place and that he was facing ‘unnecessary’ interference from two state leaders. A senior party source told The Daily Guardian that all the decision in Bengal BJP were being taken by two people – Organizational Secretary Amitava Chakraborty and former state president and present national vice president Dilip Ghosh, who was recently replaced as the state President, which has led to a creation of a unfavorable working environment for Mazumder and others.
Sources close to Shantanu Thakur claimed that he was not consulted even once by the state leadership while forming the new state committee nor was he apprised that a party leader who is seen as ‘anti-Thakur’ was being appointed as District president of his home constituency. Thakur, sources in Delhi, confirmed had apprised about these things to the top BJP functionaries in Delhi including BL Santosh, the present national general secretary. Thakur had reportedly told the top BJP leadership that he will not associate himself with any party activities in Bengal till the time “Matuas” are given adequate respect in the party.
Sources close to Thakur have confirmed to The Daily Guardian that he will never join the TMC. However, they said in case the “leadership” continues to “treat him in a use and throw manner”, he will take a “strong decision” before mid-January.
Matuas constitute about 1.25 crore of Bengal’s population and have supported the BJP Whole heartedly during the 2019 Lok Sabha as well as in the 2021 Assembly elections. The BJP had won 12 of the 14 Assembly seats in the Matua dominated Lok Sabha seats of Bongaon and Ranaghat. Also, a large chunk of Matuas voted in favor of the BJP in other districts of Bengal including that of Nadia, Birbhum, Bardhman, Siliguri, among others.