The West Bengal CPI(M) has been losing members steadily in recent years, since it’s been out of power in the state after three-and-half decades of rule. Ironically, most of them have joined the BJP, as claimed by the saffron party.
The last party congress of the CPI(M) in Hyderabad has put a figure to this heavy decline in members in West Bengal, since 2011. Out of little more than 2 lakh party members in 2011, around 60,000 have not renewed their membership until now.
A central committee member said, “It’s a fact that large number of party members did not renew their membership. And many of them have joined BJP.”
The leader said the main reasons behind such a fall in membership were the attacks faced by activists at the hands of Trinamool Congress workers across the state.
Many of the party members have faced false criminal cases and went out of the state. Also many became inactive, anticipating that attacks would come on their families as well.
The BJP has claimed that more than 60 per cent of these members have joined their party.
Dilip Ghosh, president of BJP's West Bengal unit, told THE WEEK, “Yes, we have received huge number of activists from CPI(M). They have come to us for shelter as CPI(M) could not give them protection any more. The process is on and we could get many more former comrades into our party.”
Ghosh sounds ambitious when he said that BJP in West Bengal today has reached the stage where it could outshine the ruling Trinamool Congress. It has already pushed CPI(M) from the number 2 position and become the principle opposition party in the state.
“The work began after I took over as the BJP state chief. The situation would have been completely different had things been done as before,” said Ghosh.
The state BJP president said the BJP’s vote share in West Bengal has crossed 25 per cent from being six per cent in 2011.
“Wait for some time, it would cross 30 per cent very soon,” Ghosh said.
Senior leaders of the BJP are currently campaigning across the state for the panchayat election. But the party eyes next year’s general elections as the real target.
Ghosh said West Bengal would give maximum seats to Modi next year.
“As of now, we will win fifty per cent of the total seats, which is 21. One year to go to election, it could even be more than 25,” said Ghosh during an exclusive interaction with THE WEEK.
BJP chief Amit Shah recently sought a report from the state leadership about the prospects of the party in West Bengal. And he was very happy seeing the prospects of the party.
A senior leader of BJP in West Bengal said, “Amitji asked us to target more than 25 seats. He has assigned senior central party leaders for 25 such targeted seats.”
Shah is scheduled to visit West Bengal after the Karnataka election.