Balurghat MP Sukanta Majumdar replaces Dilip Ghosh as West Bengal BJP chief

Kolkata, Sep 20: Sukanta Majumdar, Lok Sabha MP from Balurghat constituency, has replaced Dilip Ghosh as the chief of West Bengal BJP. The latter has been made the national vice president, the party announced on Monday.

"I thank my party leadership for giving me this opportunity. The party has grown from strength to strength in the last few years. I would aim to fortify its base even further," expressing his happiness, Sukanta Majumdar told reporters.

When asked about the defections and infighting in the party, the 41-year-old politician said that people who are committed to the BJP's ideology will never quit the party.

Sukanta Manjumdar has taken over the reins from Dilip Ghosh amid infighting and a string of defections from the BJP to the Trinamool Congress. Ghosh was replaced 15 months before the expiry of his term.

Sukanta Majumdar's name was doing the rounds following the BJP's below-par performance in the state assembly elections earlier this year. He has now become the first state president of the saffron party from north Bengal.

After the TMC returned to power, four BJP MLAs and an MP have quit the party to join the TMC. The decision to hand over the leadership to Manjumbdar was taken considering the party's good performance in north Bengal, say sources.

Dilip Ghosh thanked the central leadership for giving him a new role. "I was informed this morning that I will be given a new assignment at the national level. I am thankful to the party for giving me an opportunity to serve the masses. I wish Sukanta Majumdar success on his new journey," the 57-year-old BJP leader said.

After turning the president of the state unit in December 2015, under Dilip Ghosh's leadership BJP won three seats in assembly elections in 2016 and came out with flying colors by winning 18 out of 42 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In 2021, the BJP, which was aiming to dethrone Mamata Banerjee as the Chief Minister of Bengal, managed to just win 77 seats and the party was hoping to win 200 seats.