The cracks are showing: BJP's Bengal govt under pressure from within

Barely two months after the BJP formed the government in West Bengal, signs of internal unrest are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. A series of public statements by senior leaders and legislators has exposed growing resentment within the party, with complaints ranging from neglect by the leadership to allegations of corruption, extortion and the induction of controversial political figures. The public airing of these grievances has handed the opposition fresh ammunition to question the BJP's internal discipline and governance.

The latest controversy centres on BJP Rajya Sabha MP Nagendra Ray, better known as 'Ananta Maharaj', a prominent face of the Greater Cooch Behar movement in North Bengal. Ray, whose political trajectory has been marked by shifting equations — becoming a BJP MP while also hosting chief minister Mamata Banerjee at his residence and accepting a Bangabhushan award from her — launched an extraordinary attack on his own party after reportedly being left out of Union home minister Amit Shah's administrative meeting at Uttarkanya in Siliguri.

While senior administrative officials and BJP leaders attended the meeting, Ananta Maharaj was not invited. Speaking to journalists at a programme in Dinhata, he vented his anger in unusually blunt terms.

"I was the one who brought the BJP to West Bengal. I brought them to north Bengal as well. Now that they are in power, they care about dogs but not about me. They only engage in various conversations and spread propaganda. Who am I supposed to trust now?" he said.

His remarks have once again highlighted the uneasy relationship between the BJP leadership and a leader who has repeatedly complained of being sidelined. Even before the April Assembly elections, Ray had publicly criticised sections of the BJP. Since the party came to power, he has largely stayed away from official BJP programmes, instead focusing on events organised by his Greater Cooch Behar organisation. The district BJP leadership has declined to comment on his latest outburst.

Discontent has also surfaced in the coal belt of Paschim Bardhaman district, where BJP MLA Jitendra Tiwari publicly accused members of his own party of engaging in activities that have alarmed ordinary people.

Addressing a gathering in Pandabeswar, Tiwari alleged that some BJP workers had swiftly adopted the very practices they had previously criticised. "Within just two months, our people are trying to outdo even the worst goons. Our party members have made life miserable for common people," he said.

He went on to allege widespread illegal occupation of coalfield housing, extortion and interference in government contracts. "Previously, four quarters might have been illegally occupied in a month; now, four are being seized in a single week. Extortion is taking place wherever they please. Contractors are being harassed. They are being told what work must be done, what cannot be done, and are being forced to pay up for this and that," he claimed.

Tiwari also dismissed suggestions that such activities were being carried out without his knowledge. "They think Jitendra Tiwari won't find out. I am receiving reports on everything," he said.

His remarks have fuelled political debate, but the BJP leaders against whom the allegations appear to have been directed are yet to respond publicly.

Another flashpoint has emerged in Barrackpore, where BJP MLA Kaustav Bagchi openly accused sections of his own party of trying to induct senior Trinamool Congress leaders into the BJP.

Bagchi claimed that several prominent Trinamool leaders, including former municipal chairmen Uttam Das and Prashanta Chowdhury, along with Raja Paswan and others, were seeking to join the BJP with the backing of influential leaders within the party. "I have no hesitation in saying that they have approached certain individuals within our own party to ensure their entry goes smoothly," he alleged.

Bagchi further claimed that his opposition to these inductions had made him a target. "People come to my home, hurl abuse and terrorise my family. I receive death threats. If they fail to achieve their ends through this, a lethal attack on me might follow," he said.

Referring to the murder of BJP leader Manish Shukla, he added that he would not allow individuals accused of criminal activities to enter the party as long as he remained active in Barrackpore.

Taken together, these episodes present an uncomfortable picture for the BJP. For a party that campaigned on promises of clean governance, organisational discipline and political change, the public airing of internal grievances risks creating the impression that cracks within the organisation are emerging far sooner than many had anticipated.