Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Arun Singh wrote to party leader and MP Dilip Ghosh asking him to “refrain from going to media or any public forum”, about his fellow colleagues either in Bengal or anywhere else as it has “anguished” the state party leaders and also caused “embarrassment” to central leadership.

According to the letter, the MP was warned earlier too to be cautious in his dealings with the media. The letter states, “This was pointed to you on several occasions by the party leadership in the fond hope that you will take note. In a recent interview, your comments in the electronic media and perhaps on other forums have been openly critical of senior state functionaries. Such comments will only hurt and harm the party and negate your own hard work in the past.”

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“Such statements coming from a person of your stature as a national vice-president may create deep disaffection, unrest, and alienation among party ranks, which, given the norms of political behavior and conduct, is unacceptable. The national leadership of BJP is deeply concerned at issuance of such statements through the media,” the letter further read.

The letter was issued on the instructions of Bharatiya Janata Party national president JP Nadda.

The central leadership asked the Medinipur MP “to be more discreet in dealings with the media or any other public fora”.

Mr Ghosh however said he did not receive any such letter. Mr Ghosh during his interview on 25 April said state BJP state president Sukanta Majumder was inexperienced and he could gain experience through hard work and priorities should be given to the workers, who are hard working and braved TMC’s attack. CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty said the saffron party censored leaders one by one. Tathagata Roy was the previous one who has been asked to be tightlipped, now it is Dilip Ghosh. BJP state spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya said it is the party’s internal matter. Dilip Ghosh’s followers however said that censoring him will ultimately give a walkover to TMC before the panchayat polls.