Banerjee warns BJP of losing touch with public
■ BJP state unit chief to complain to Prez
In an explosive outburst, West Bengal BJP leader Rajib Banerjee on Wednesday evening warned his party's leadership of losing the acceptance of people if they keep randomly “threatening” the ruling TMC with the saffron party’s power at the Centre and the imposition of President’s Rule while "criticising a government with a huge mandate".
“Enough of criticism... If threats are randomly given in the name of Delhi and Article 356 in the course of criticising a government which came to power with a
huge mandate and opposing the chief minister, people of Bengal will not accept it well. All of us must rise above politics and stand by the people who have been devastated by the twin disasters of Yaas and Covid,” the TMC turncoat who contested as a BJP candidate but lost in the Assembly elections posted on Facebook.
Mr Banerjee’s appeal has once again exposed a sharp divide within the BJP over its policy to take on the Trinamul Congress supremo directly in the aftermath of its whitewash in the Assembly polls. Stumped by his call, the BJP is now looking into whether he has violated any organisational discipline.
Reacting to Mr Banerjee’s opinion, newly appointed TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said, “The BJP should tackle its internal feud before talking against us.”
The BJP leader’s views came hours after he along with two more BJP leaders — Mukul Roy and his son Shubhrangshu — skipped their party meeting where state unit chief Dilip Ghosh announced of a plan to complain to President Ramnath Kovid on the killings of its workers in post-poll violence in the state to mount pressure on the Mamata Banerjee government.
In the afternoon Mr Ghosh said, “We are planning to submit a deputation to the President on the post-poll violence. Since Covid-19 pandemic has been underway, there are some problems. But we will take a decision soon on this. We will tell the President that the situation has not improved even after orders from the court.”