'If any Bengali has chance to become PM, it's Mamata', says state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh

Kolkata, Jan 6: BJP West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh on Saturday said that if any Bengali has a good chance of becoming the Prime Minister, it was Mamata Banerjee.

Speaking to media, Ghosh said,''Mamata Banerjee's name is first in this list to become PM, it will be good that if a Bengali became PM, Jyoti Basu could not but Mamata Banerjee can.''

Asked if there was no Bengali from BJP who could be the Prime Minister he said, "That might happen later but at present she has a better chance. Jyoti Basu could have become but his party leaders didn't allow him. Pranab babu (Mukherjee) became the president and now there is a need for a Bengali Prime Minister."

At a time when BJP is preparing to take on the ruling TMC head-on in the next Lok Sabha polls, Ghosh's comments have led to several state party leaders refraining from making any public statements.