The Trinamul Congress has described the repeated expressions of dissatisfaction by the BJP’s central leadership over the party’s membership drive as a source of comic relief.

The BJP’s target was to enrol one crore members, but so far, they have only managed to approach the 25-lakh mark. Despite repeated instructions, the desired progress has not been achieved, raising doubts about whether the membership target can be met. Amidst this scenario, Sunil Bansal, the BJP’s central observer for West Bengal and national general secretary, held a meeting with BJP MPs from Bengal. According to sources, Bansal convened a meeting in Delhi on Monday, where several MPs, including Shantanu Thakur, Jayanta Roy, and Saumitra Khan, faced sharp criticism. It was reported that they failed to recruit more than 50,000 members each, prompting Bansal’s displeasure.

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Meanwhile, Trinamul Congress (TMC) state general secretary and spokesperson mocked the situation, calling it laughable. He said, “The BJP, which claims to be the principal opposition party in Bengal, is struggling to find members. Their leaders and workers are going to weddings and other occasions to ask people to join. Is this how you increase membership? It’s a ridiculous attempt. And the BJP’s central leadership is scolding the state leadership. A party without any grassroots support cannot grow its membership.”

Currently, the BJP has 12 Lok Sabha MPs from Bengal and two Rajya Sabha MPs, Samik Bhattacharya and Ananta Maharaj, bringing the total to 14 MPs. Sources suggested Bansal urged the MPs in the meeting to intensify their efforts. Additionally, the BJP has been directed to submit plans for five major projects from various regions of the state, such as AIIMS hospitals, railway projects, or industrial units, to counteract the momentum of the Trinamul Congress. On the other hand, the Trinamul Congress has already started preparations for the 2026 Assembly elections. The results of the recent six Assembly constituencies reflect their efforts. Furthermore, chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s government has announced that the first installment of the housing scheme funds will be distributed to beneficiaries by 31 December. This proactive governance has created challenges for the BJP in Bengal.