District leaders of the BJP are in a state of confusion, following what they called “unrestricted joining” of Trinamul Congress leaders and workers. According to the leaders, such TMC leaders are now gradually surpassing old BJP leaders in the district, while the old-timers in the party are now under pressure and confused about their future political agenda in their local areas.

Political analysts in the district are also speculating that many such TMC leaders, who joined the party recently, may have found their place in the BJP’s candidate list for the Assembly election in the district.

“Not only that, the BJP has now started giving importance to such turncoats in the local area, including those who have a bad public image. Anger had already been brewing against such leaders, and the TMC party now looks somewhat relieved,” an observer said.

“While the BJP had vented its ire against such TMC leaders earlier, the situation has changed now and the saffron brigade has welcomed them in, sidelining local issues like corruption and underdevelopment in the process,” the observer added.

On the other hand, the TMC has started a campaign against such defectors and has been trying to show how they were involved in corruption and abuse of power.

According to observers, the BJP is losing on issues against the TMC in the local area ahead of the elections. “Losing area-based issues, the BJP has to fight on statebased issues now,” a political analyst said.

It may be noted here that the BJP had performed well in the district by campaigning against these leaders during the 2018 panchayat elections and the 2019 parliamentary elections.

“However, this time around, it will be interesting to see how the BJP will fare in the Assembly elections, as this election will be largely based on local issues,” another observer said.

The BJP had emerged as a strong force in the district after the last panchayat and parliamentary elections. BJP candidate Dr Sukanta Majumder had won the general elections in Balurghat, while the party led in three of the six seats in South Dinajpur district then. The BJP was in a good position in Balurghat, Tapan and Gangarampur, with a maximum lead.

“Given this fact, the saffron brigade is confident of winning all the six MLA seats in the district,” a party source said.

Many leaders and activists from other parties, including the TMC, have joined the BJP since April last year. One of them, former Trinamul district president Biplab Mitra had also joined the BJP. However, he recently returned to the TMC fold and has become the party’s district chairman as well as the candidate for the Harirampur Assembly seat. Satyan Roy, the former TMC MLA of Gangarampur, has already announced he will be a BJP candidate in Gangarampur. TMC leader from Harirampur Subhasish Paul and minister of state Bachhu Hansda, who do not have a very good reputation, have also defected to the BJP.

“When a party is growing and people and leaders in large numbers are joining the party, some debate and controversy is obvious. However, the BJP has its own ideology and party system. Everyone has to follow the party guidelines. We will fight for a corruption-free Bengal and local issues will not be a problem,” said one district leader of the BJP, Bapi Sarkar.