Three embarrassments later, BJP’s special cell to screen newcomers in Bengal

Bengal BJP is set to open a three-tier special cell to screen new comers in the party, the move coming in the wake of a few of its leaders being arrested for involvement in trafficking rackets and cheating cases.

The decision that came after a prod by its central leaders in Delhi, will incorporate a system of screening new comer leaders from other political parties.

The cell will have a three tier system with a state committee at its helm. It will have special teams at the ‘mandal’ (organisational districts) and block level. The cell will screen the newcomer’s reputation, antecedents, background before allowing him into active party activities.

With the growth of saffron vote share in Bengal, a section of leaders and workers from the Left and Trinamool have been joining BJP recently.

“We want to make sure that the leaders who are joining us from other parties have a clean background. There are former MLAs among those coming from other parties. We want only people with a clean background,” said Dilip Ghosh, state BJP president.

“The initiative is in accordance with a directive by our central leadership. Thousands are joining us every day from different political parties and different backgrounds. The cell will screen and guide the newcomers. Our party is run by ideology and we want to make sure we get the right persons,” said Sayantan Basu BJP state secretary.

Read: BJP woman leader charged in child trafficking case in north Bengal

In December last year Dilip Ghosh, a BJP leader of Salt Lake, was arrested for his involvement in an interstate baby trafficking racket. Later, in February, CID submitted a chargesheet that included his name among others. Ghosh was earlier with CPI(M).

In January, party vice president and spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumder was arrested by Bidhannagar police after a complaint that he received money promising jobs. Majumder joined BJP from Congress.

CID has zeroed in on another BJP Mahila Morcha leader, Juhi Choudhury, when it busted another baby smuggling racket in Jalpaiguri of North Bengal.

Recently the party inducted controversial former CPI(M) leader and former MP Lakshman Seth, who was one of the prominent faces in Nandigram. This was also opposed by a section of party’s own leaders.

BJP vote share has been on a steady rise in Bengal from 6% in 2009 Lok sabha polls to 16.8 in Lok Sabha polls in 2014 where it got two seats. Later in 2016 assembly polls it got 10.2 % and secured three MLAs. In the by polls in 2016, BJP’s vote share even reached to 28.5% (Coochbehar).

After recent incidents of small scale riots in Bengal, a section of workers from other political parties joined BJP.

“Earlier in some areas Left workers joined BJP en masse. But after the riots and apparent Muslim appeasement policy of the chief minister, many Trinamool Congress workers are also joining us. We need to be careful in taking in these new people and giving them responsibilities,” said a senior BJP leader.