With 2021 West Bengal Assembly election inching closer, the fierce political battle between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bhartiya Janata Party is at its height. Last month, the former Trinamool Congress MLA from Santipur Arindam Bhattacharya had joined the BJP in the presence of national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and other leaders. The MLA has now allegedly been getting death threats, warning him to leave the Nadia district’s Shantipur in “seven days.”
News agency ANI shared a picture where a message written in Bengali read: “Leave Shantipur within 7 days or you’ll be responsible for your murder.”
WB: Death threats allegedly given to BJP’s Arindam Bhattacharya to leave Shantipur.
— ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2021
“Leave Shantipur within 7 days or you’ll be responsible for your murder,”written on a wall.
He says,”I accept challenge, I’ll not leave Shantipur.”
(Pic source: Arindam Bhattacharya’s office) pic.twitter.com/tlvHWRM92f
“Trinamool Congress has realised that people no longer support their party. Therefore, they are trying to create an atmosphere of fear. This is the only way out. Therefore, by means of the poster and wall painting, I am being threatened. Even last month a similar threat was given to me,” Bhattacharya claimed.
Speaking on the police apathy under CM Mamata Banerjee’s regime, the Shantipur MLA furthered that the media had highlighted the issue of death threats, but no action was taken by the police. “This is a way of encouraging anti-social elements. Now, the legislator is being threatened to leave Santipur in seven days,” he said.
Bhattacharya said he will not get scared from these threats, adding that “I accept this challenge.”
TMC leaders in West Bengal switching to BJP
The political turmoil within the Trinamool Congress, triggered by the resignation of former state minister and a close associate of Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari, in the month of December, has obviously ruffled the party supremo Mamata Banerjee who is eyeing a third consecutive term in power. Meanwhile, BJP, which made successful inroads in the state during 2019 Lok Sabha elections, is all set to overthrow the TMC government in WB. Until now, 17 MLAs of the Trinamool Congress and one TMC MP have crossed over to the BJP in recent times.
Realising that Trinamool Congress may go to any extent in its desperation to retain powers in Bengal, a delegation of West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders led by Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta has written to Election Commission urging it to “deploy members of only Central Police Forces (CPF), duly trained to ensure fairness, dignity, and sanctity of the process.”
A delegation of West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders led by Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta writes to Election Commission to “deploy members of only Central Police Forces (CPF), duly trained to ensure fairness, dignity, and sanctity of the process.” pic.twitter.com/1GLKgsFeEV
— ANI (@ANI) February 5, 2021
BJP top leaders visit the state as 2021 Bengal Assembly election inches closer
Meanwhile, preparations for the upcoming state elections are in full swing, with either party leaving no stone unturned. BJP President JP Nadda is set to visit the state Saturday to inaugurate a statewide ‘Parivartan Yatra’ from Nadia in West Bengal and hold a roadshow in Malda.
Meanwhile, HM Amit Shah is scheduled to attend another yatra from Coochbehar on February 11.
BJP West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh had announced plans to roll out five ‘Parivartan Yatras’ across West Bengal from February 6. “Five ‘yatras’ have been decided till now. The last one will go from Kakdwip to Kolkata,” Ghosh told ANI after a meeting members of the party’s core committee at his residence in Delhi, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be invited for the conclusion of the last Rath Yatra.
He further said permission had been sought for the rath yatras from the state government, and if denied, the party may go to court.
The West Bengal Assembly Elections for 294 seats are scheduled to take place in April-May this year.
