Suvendu, Sukanta's 'Disagreements' Lay Bare Rift In Bengal BJP

The Bengal BJP is having to deal with fractures with less than a year left for the assembly elections. State chief Sukanata Majumdar and LoP Suvendu Adhikari are now seemingly at loggerheads.

The rift in the Bengal BJP seems to be widening by the day, and this comes with less than a year left for the Assembly polls. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar has now turned down Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Subhendu Adhikari's proposal to observe 'Ganatantra Hatya Diwas', which roughly translates to 'Day When Democracy Died', on July 21. Trinamool Congress observes July 21 as 'Martyr's Day' in memory of the 13 people killed in police firing at a Youth Congress rally against the Left Front government in 1993. 

The rift in Bengal BJP started with Suvendu Adhikari's call to abandon PM Modi's mantra of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'. Suvendu had said: "I have talked about nationalist Muslims. You, too, have talked about 'sabka sath, sabka vikaas'. But no more. We shall stand by those who stand by us... No need for a minority front."

His remarks drew sharp criticism from various quarters, including the BJP's minority wing. Jamal Siddiqui, national president of BJP's minority wing, said, "Suvendu Adhikari does not know about the BJP's minority front. He's a newcomer. He should learn about the party first. What Suvendu said could be his personal belief. No one can finish BJP's minority front."

After the uproar over his statement, Suvendu Adhikari said, "As BJP's state president, he [Sukanta Majumdar] may agree or disagree with my opinion. But even if he disagrees in public, he has to accept it in his heart." In reply, Sukanta Majumdar, who is also the MoS in the Ministry of Education, said, "The press is not the place to speak one's heart out. I have a lot of other places to speak my mind."

Tussle Over July 21

Sukanta and Suvendu are two pillars of Bengal BJP. A conflict between them at this point could seriously dent the BJP's prospects in the Assembly elections next year. 

In a move clearly aimed at disrupting TMC's Martyr's Day, Suvendu Adhikari had called for the day to be observed as 'Ganatantra Hatya Diwas'. He called on the BJP workers to burn effigies of CM Mamata Banerjee and Firhad (Bobby) Hakim on July 21. However, Sukanta Majumdar seemed to disagree. He said: "It was never decided that July 21 would be observed as such. The party has decided that it can be observed on any day between July 21 and 26. The district units, at their own convenience, will observe 'Ganatantra Hatya Saptah' (week)."