The recent entry of four Trinamool MLAs has sparked unrest in the the BJP’s Bengal unit. However, the State leadership indicated that such crossovers will continue, with party leader Mukul Roy saying on Sunday that “as many as 50 Trinamool MLAs are in touch” with him.
The efforts to poach Trinamool MLAs indiscriminately has been criticised within the BJP. Many senior BJP leaders and activists have in particular questioned the induction of Manirul Islam, a Trinamool MLA.
Mr. Islam, from south Bengal’s Birbhum district, is allegedly involved in the murder of personal and business rivals and has boasted publicly about it. He said in 2014 that he could “crush [his rivals] under his feet”.
Mr. Islam and three other MLAs recently joined the BJP at an event in Delhi.
The first to raise the alarm against Mr. Islam’s induction was Rantidev Sengupta, known for his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its chief Mohan Bhagwat. Mr. Sengupta wrote in his social media page that he was not sure how Mr. Islam’s entry would help the saffron party.
“It is because of the mayhem created by people like Manirul, many voted for the BJP. Now what will these voters think about the BJP,” he asked.
His post got huge traction on social media, with hundreds of BJP supporters requesting him to flag the issue to the “higher authorities”.
Meanwhile, a section of the BJP’s Birbhum committee said they would not accept Mr. Islam’s induction.
BJP’s Birbhum district president Ramkrishna Roy told The Hindu that no one “has left or [is] leaving the party” because of Mr. Islam’s induction. “But let me clarify that we are not happy about the induction of Islam,” he said.
‘Larger interest’
BJP State president Dilip Ghosh did not deny that the party activists were “disappointed” with the induction of persons like Mr. Islam. “People are disappointed and so am I. However, for larger political interest we have to accept them,” he said.
