Lok Sabha poll 2019: Some Bengal BJP workers unhappy with Cooch Behar candidate, vandalise office

Trouble in Bengal BJP?

While the state and Central BJP leadership has aggressively looked to poach leaders from other parties to build up strength in West Bengal for Lok Sabha election, it has not gone down well with many party cadres. They believe that the party is rewarding newcomers over those leaders who have struggled during the tough times. And that simmering tension exploded in Cooch Behar where a group of BJP workers vandalised party office protesting against candidature of Nisith Pramanik. 

Cooch Behar located in North Bengal is one of the seats BJP is optimistic about. Hence this kind of divided workforce is unlikely to go down well with the central leadership who would expect every worker to give their best in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.As soon as BJP CEC announced name of 184 candidates, the party workers were unhappy in Cooch Behar. 

Speaking to ANI, a protester said that they are upset with this decision as Pramanik has joined BJP just a few weeks ago and they feel that the party has far better political contenders than him."We are very unhappy with this decision. Pramanik has just joined the party after leaving Trinamool Congress (TMC). We have better people than him in the party," he said.

Furnitures including chairs etc were vandalised by party workers. On February 28, Pramanik formally joined BJP in presence of Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is in-charge of the state. 

Protests have also broken out against Khagen Murmu, who is BJP candidate from North Malda. Murmu was a long time Left leader and many BJP workers have reservations with him. BJP state vice president Rajkamal Pathak has resigned from the post protesting Locket Chatterjee being given ticket from Hooghly. He was also in contention for ticket from Hoogly, a TMC stronghold. 

With agency inputs