In yet another instance of faction-feud in the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, disgruntled party leaders on Tuesday threatened to go on a relay hunger strike demanding the removal of State president Rahul Sinha.
However, the office staff Rahul Sinha said that they were not aware of the development.
Holding Mr. Sinha responsible for the BJP’s recent electoral debacles in the State, senior party leader and vice-president of the party’s Kisan Morcha said that on November 1, they had written to national president Amit Shah seeking Mr. Sinha’s removal by November 15. “Since the deadline has crossed we have no choice but to go on a relay hunger strike near the party’s office (in central Kolkata) from November 27,” he told journalists.
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The disgruntled leaders also accused Mr. Sinha of having a “tacit understanding” with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee which was hampering the party’s prospects in Bengal. They also accused central leaders such as party’s co-observer in Bengal Siddharth Nath Singh, National General Secretary (Organisation) Ramlal for the party’s failure to capitalise on the “Modi wave”.
Former Birbhum district president Doodh Kumar Mondal also criticised Mr. Sinha for his lack of “leadership quality” and said that this has inflicted severe damage on the morale of party workers. “If this goes on, the BJP is heading for a disaster in the 2016-Assembly polls,” he said.
Similar demands of Mr. Sinha’s removal by party leaders were made in the past.
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Earlier Mr. Sinha’s friction with actor-turned-politician Roopa Ganguly came to the forefront when the State president openly expressed his displeasure of the activities Ms. Ganguly was engaging without the approval of the State leadership.
“Has a tacit understanding with Mamata Banerjee which is hampering the party’s prospects in Bengal”