Biswabrata Goswami
Krishnagar, 5 April: Signs of discontent surfaced within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Nadia district after sections of party workers staged late-night protests against the nomination of the party’s candidate for the Krishnagar North Assembly constituency, exposing organisational strains ahead of the Assembly elections.
According to party sources, a section of BJP workers and local leaders began demonstrations at Post Office Morh and outside the party office in Krishnagar late on Saturday night, alleging irregularities in the selection of candidate Taraknath Chattapadhyay, whose name was announced as part of the party’s latest list of nominees.
The protests reportedly continued in phases from around midnight until nearly 1.30 a.m., with several hundred workers and supporters gathering at the sites. Sources within the party claimed that a number of mandal presidents and even some panchayat functionaries joined the agitation, signalling deeper unease within the local organisational structure.
The protesting workers directed their criticism at both district and state leadership, alleging that an “undeserving candidate” had been chosen in exchange for money — a charge that has not been officially substantiated. Demonstrators argued that the decision could weaken the party’s electoral prospects and indirectly benefit the ruling Trinamul Congress in the constituency.
“We believe the seat is being handed over to the ruling party through this decision. The candidate has little connection with local people,” one protesting leader said, warning that the agitation would intensify if the party failed to reconsider its choice.
The dissenting group issued an ultimatum demanding an immediate change of candidate, threatening mass resignations and the possibility of fielding an Independent nominee if their demands were ignored.
The BJP had on Saturday announced candidates for five additional Assembly constituencies across the state and replaced nominees in three seats, with Krishnagar North among the constituencies witnessing a fresh nomination. The announcement appears to have triggered the unrest at the district level.
Party leadership, however, sought to strike a conciliatory yet firm note. Arjun Biswas, president of the BJP’s Nadia North organisational district unit, emphasised party discipline, stating that all workers are expected to rally behind the officially nominated candidate.
“The BJP is a disciplined political organisation. Once the party selects a candidate, it becomes the responsibility of every leader and worker to ensure his victory. We also need to examine whether there are other motives behind the protests,” Mr Biswas said.
Sources indicated that the episode has caused discomfort within the party ranks at a sensitive pre-election moment, raising concerns about internal cohesion as campaigning gathers momentum.
Political observers note that factional tensions over ticket distribution often surface during election season, but sustained dissent at the grassroots level could pose organisational challenges if not swiftly addressed.
