The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls are right around the corner, on December 19, and preparations are in full swing. The election which was due to be held in April-May 2020 was postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has been looking to pick up the pieces from their 2021 Bengal Assembly election performance, and hopes to make a stronger impact.
But while the BJP has been taking a completely different approach from their Assembly election strategy by nominating grassroot leaders and engaging in door-to-door campaigns, administrative problems and infighting within the party have already marred their election campaign.
The BJP is not off to a great start this election season in West Bengal.
Withdrawal of Two Candidates
BJP candidates from wards 133 and 134 (Kolkata port area) withdrew their nomination on the day of scrutiny. BJP state president Dr. Sukanta Majumdar in a press conference alleged that the candidates Sadananda Prasad and Mumtaz Ali withdrew their nominations because they were intimidated by the Trinamool Congress and pressurized into withdrawing their nomination.
“If I was being intimidated and pressurized by the TMC, then why did my party check in on me after four days since I withdrew my nomination,” Ali tells the Quint.
She alleges that she had specifically asked the party to let her contest from ward 133, because she had contested from there in 2015. But the party, despite “assuring her” that she will be given 133, had put her name under 134 without informing her.
On the day of filing my nomination, only my election agent went along with me, who I had fixed. No one else. After that, no one from the party took my calls. Two days later, no one came along with me on the day of scrutiny. I was all alone. When I saw the other parties, I felt hurt and helpless. I didn’t go for the scrutiny, waited in the building until the end of the day and eventually withdrew my nomination.Mumtaz Ali, ex-BJP candidate
She further added that the party didn’t even know about her withdrawal until four days after the incident. She alleged that BJP Women's Wing president Agnimitra Paul had called her but mistook her for a man.
“There is no scope for the BJP in ward 134. There’s a good chance they might not get a single vote there. Maybe that’s why they nominated me,” Ali broke down as she slammed the saffron brigade.
Ali and Prasad categorically denied being intimidated by TMC.
Prasad, when speaking to The Quint said that he withdrew his nomination over personal reasons.
My family got apprehensive about my political future and the safety issues that come with it. My mother requested me not to enter politics. So, I withdrew my candidature.Sadananda Prasad, ex-BJP candidate
Bengal State Executive Sishir Bajoria responded to the allegations leveled by the two candidates. Speaking to the Quint, he said, “the TMC threatened them to a point where they couldn’t speak about it.”
TMC not only threatened her (Ali), not only forced her to ensure withdrawal. They also made sure she says what she did.Sishir Bajoria, BJP Bengal State Executive
Infighting Within the Party
Like how the party saw a spate of infighting incidents within the BJP during the Assembly elections, this time was no different.
BJP MP Roopa Ganguly left a virtual meeting with state BJP leaders midway, and later took to social media to slam the party over their choice of candidate.
She expressed her displeasure over the party not nominating Gaurav Biswas from ward 86, the husband of late BJP councillor Teesta Biswas. She even went on to cry foul over the death of the late councillor, who was killed in a car accident on October 27.
Even the local BJP cadre from the ward wanted the party to nominate Biswas, but the party nominated Rajarshi Lahiri instead. Biswas is now contesting from the same seat as an independent candidate.
State Leadership Being Inactive
Candidates have also alleged that the BJP election management committee has been inactive and has not held a strategy meeting since the 27 November. Members of the committee reportedly claim that they are in the dark about the workings of the committee and are not being consulted for decisions.
The party’s campaigning too has been pale even from the point of view of candidates. With only a handful of BJP workers, candidates were seen going door-to-door to campaign.
Even senior state leaders were missing from these campaigns as they were in Delhi attending parliament sessions. Recently, the leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari has been made in charge of 10 wards.
Reports have also suggested that the BJP has failed to arrange adequate booth agents for the KMC polls and will be bringing in workers from nearby districts to fill the quota. This however goes against EC guidelines which state that booth
As such incidents come to light, chances of the BJP making an impact in the KMC polls grow slimmer, while the other party's campaign vehemently.
Will the BJP be able to pick up the pace? Not if they don’t address the internal issues with utmost urgency and importance.
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