Sources says Roy has already started making preparations for strengthening the BJP's organisation at the lowest tier
The bye-election for Sabang Assembly constituency in West Midnapore on December 21 will be a litmus test for former TMC second-in-command Mukul Roy, who recently defected to BJP.
While Roy was always known for his organisational skills at the grassroots level, he would now have to test it against the TMC supremo and chief of the ruling dispensation, Mamata Banerjee herself.
Sources said Roy has already started making preparations for strengthening the BJP's organisation at the lowest tier. Political analysts say that if Roy can prove his mettle it would instil a lot of confidence in both the state BJP leadership and workers at the lowest level.
State BJP leaders are not ready to depend on Roy alone. "We are not depending on any one person to win election. Ours is not a one-man party. It is cadre-based, issue based and constitution-based," said BJP national secretary and former state president Rahul Sinha. He also said Sabang had been a turf of Manas Bhunia, who was earlier with Congress and had defected to TMC. "I am not expecting a lot in this bye-election, but it is for sure that we will give TMC a strong fight," he said.
The election has been necessitated after the six-time MLA from Sabang and former state Congress president was nominated to the Upper House after his defection to TMC.
Congress, too, is not very hopeful about winning the seat. "Let's face it. Our organisational strength in Sabang is not very strong. Bhunia is not a mass leader. We had won the seat last time owing to the alliance with the Left. If that happens this time as well we can win. But if there is no alliance then we will have to fight alone and might only end up giving a fight," said state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury.
On the contrary, TMC leaders sounded a lot more confident of winning. "Hoi hoi kore jitbo amra. (We will win easily)," said state panchayat affairs and rural development minister Subrata Mukherjee.
POLLS IN 5 SEATS
- Bye-elections will be held in UP’s Sikandra, TN’s RK Nagar, West Bengal’s Sabang and Arunachal’s Pakke-Kasang and Likabali Assembly constituencies.
- The notification for the bypoll would be issued on Nov 27 and the last date for filing papers is Dec 4.
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