BJP groups clash over induction of leaders from other parties

The debate over the induction of new leaders in the BJP from other parties came out in the open on Sunday, as two groups of workers of the saffron party clashed in Durgapur area of Pashchim Bardhaman district.

The incident occurred even as the party's Bengal unit was preparing its strategy for the next assembly polls in the state at a 'Chintan Baithak' here.

The BJP leadership was scheduled to address a rally just a few meters away from the venue of the meeting.

Following the clash, the venue of the rally was ransacked, and the barricade, chairs, tables and microphones, were broken, police said.

Several BJP workers were injured in the scuffle and the meeting had to be cancelled, party sources said.

The state unit of the saffron party had organised a two-day 'Chintan Baithak' from Saturday at Durgapur, where it was scheduled to prepare its strategy and organisational aspects for 2021 assembly polls.

However, things took an ugly turn when it was announced that the cousin of TMC MLA from Barabani Bidhan Upadhyay, Moloy, would be joining the BJP.

Old timers of the saffron party stated shouting slogans against Moloy and the BJP leadership, which led to a clash between the two groups.

Senior state BJP leaders said they would look into the incident and the grievances of the old timers.

TMC leader Jitendra Tiwari said, the incident points to the "kind of rot" that has set in the BJP, which is "daydreaming" of capturing power in West Bengal in 2021.

Since BJP's improved performance in the Lok Sabha polls, the state leadership is engaged in a debate over inducting leaders and workers from other parties.

The BJP had won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, only four behind TMC's 22 seats.