To expand ideological foot-print, BJP needs to win Bengal: Ghosh
Kolkata, Mar 14: West Bengal BJP Chief Dilip Ghosh on Saturday said that the party has to fulfil its long-cherished mission of winning the state not only to expand its ideological footprint but also to secure India's eastern borders, which have turned into a "transit point for terror elements" trying to create unrest in the country.
Amid an exodus of TMC members to the BJP ahead of the assembly elections, Ghosh conceded that the saffron party needs people from other political outfits to come to power in the state, after which it will put an end to the practice.
In an interview with PTI, Ghosh said the BJP's ideology, its expanding organisational strength, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity are its strengths, while the lack of popular faces in the party at various levels in the state is one of the drawbacks for the saffron camp in the elections.
Allaying apprehensions of party old-timers that turncoats are becoming more important than them, he said that switching political allegiance doesn't always guarantee leadership positions and party tickets.
Ahead of Assam Assembly elections 2021, BJP booth committee president stabbed to death
"West Bengal is important for the BJP not only because of our origin in the state as Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee was born here but also because the country's security is linked with it. We have waited for long for an opportunity to come to power in the state. This is our mission and challenge," he said.
"India's border with Bangladesh that West Bengal shares is the most unsafe in the country. The Centre has been able to bring peace in Kashmir and other disturbed areas but the eastern borders have turned into a transit point for terror elements to infiltrate into the country to create unrest," he said.
Exuding confidence of coming to power in West Bengal with a two-thirds majority, Ghosh said the TMC government has failed and betrayed the aspirations of the people of the state, who had voted it to power in 2011.
Elections to the 294-member assembly, poised to be a stiff contest between the BJP and the Centre, will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29. The results will be declared on May 2.
The BJP has been able to "knock the door of the seat of power" due to the martyrdom of hundreds of party workers and the indomitable spirit of the activists in the state but lack of popular faces at various levels is a drawback for the party in the elections, he said.
"Our ideology, Modiji's popularity and the indomitable spirit of our workers are our strengths but we need several popular faces at various levels to take on the TMC. The ruling party in the state has several faces not because they are efficient but because they have been in power for 10 years," he said.
Asked whether the rift between old-timers and newcomers will affect the BJP in the elections, he said that everyone has to abide by the party's rules and regulations.
"The
BJP
is
getting
strengthened
in
West
Bengal
with
each
passing
day.
People
from
other
parties
including
the
TMC
are
joining
us.
If
we
don't
take
them,
how
will
we
grow?
"Everybody
can't
get
a
ticket.
Only
some
will
be
candidates
and
others
will
have
to
work
as
per
the
responsibilities
assigned
to
them.
No
one
is
above
the
party,"
he
said.
Saffron
party
sources
and
media
reports
have
indicated
that
the
RSS
is
not
happy
with
the
BJP
inducting
certain
leaders
from
other
political
outfits.
Ghosh
said
although
party
hopping
can't
be
supported,
there
are
certain
necessities
in
electoral
politics.
"We will put an end to the practice of party hopping after we are voted to power in West Bengal. But numbers play an important role in democracy. We need to get the numbers. With leaders, their supporters too come to our party," he said.
Since
the
2019
Lok
Sabha
elections,
when
the
BJP
bagged
18
seats,
just
four
less
than
the
TMC,
26
MLAs
of
the
ruling
party
in
the
state,
two
of
its
MPs
and
three
legislators
each
from
the
Congress
and
CPI(M)
and
one
CPI
MLA
have
joined
the
saffron
party.
However,
barring
former
state
cabinet
ministers
Suvendu
Adhikari
and
Rajib
Banerjee
and
Rajya
Sabha
MP
Dinesh
Trivedi,
none
have
resigned
from
their
posts.
"Tickets
are
given
on
the
basis
of
winnability.
It
is
not
necessary
that
all
the
elected
representatives
who
have
joined
from
other
parties
will
get
tickets,"
he
said.
Ghosh
said
inducting
tainted
TMC
leaders
will
not
impact
the
party's
anti-corruption
narrative
in
West
Bengal.
"People
vote
for
the
BJP
because
of
our
ideology
and
policies
and
not
by
looking
at
politicians
joining
us
from
other
outfits.
"We
won't
judge
anyone.
Law
will
take
its
own
course.
In
their
previous
party,
there
was
a
culture
of
corruption
so
they
worked
accordingly,
but
in
the
BJP,
they
have
to
work
as
per
our
principles,"
he
said.
Ghosh dismissed allegations that identity politics has risen in West Bengal simultaneously with the BJP's growth and blamed the TMC's "appeasement politics" for the rise of communal politics in the state.
"Development
for
all
is
our
election
plank.
But
communal
politics
has
grown
in
the
state
due
to
the
TMC's
appeasement
politics.
The
TMC
is
solely
responsible
for
this,"
he
said.
Noting
that
it
is
up
to
the
top
BJP
leadership
whether
to
project
a
chief
ministerial
candidate
ahead
of
the
elections,
he
said,
"In
states
where
we
have
a
strong
organisation,
we
don't
project
a
CM
face
because
we
don't
need
one
to
win
the
elections
but
in
states
where
we
have
a
weak
presence,
we
have
sometimes
projected
a
CM
face.
Now,
we
have
a
strong
organisation
in
West
Bengal."
He
dismissed
media
reports
that
newly
inducted
actor
Mithun
Chakraborty
might
be
projected
as
the
party's
chief
ministerial
candidate
in
the
state.
Asked
whether
he
will
take
up
the
challenge
if
the
party
anoints
him
as
the
CM
face,
Ghosh
said
he
is
a
loyal
soldier
of
the
BJP
and
has
always
taken
up
the
responsibilities
bestowed
upon
him.
"Whatever responsibility the party bestows upon me, I will perform my duty diligently," he said.
On the 'outsider versus insider' debate in West Bengal, the state BJP chief said that the TMC has raked up the issue as it has nothing else to talk about.
"The TMC, after remaining in power in the state for a decade, has nothing else to talk about, it seems. Ours is a national party, and our leaders will come here to assist us. But those fighting the elections and the ground workers are from this state. So, the TMC's allegations are baseless," he added.