Infighting, defections, demoralised cadre: Many challenges for Amit Shah in West Bengal

Amit Shah’s visit to West Bengal is the first since the BJP suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of TMC in the assembly elections last year. 

New Delhi: Only last week, Mamata Banerjee had accused the BSF of “entering villages, killing people and throwing them on the other side”. “Ask them to take state police into confidence while working on any operation,” she instructed her police, in what had led to a fresh slugfest between the Centre and the Trinamool Congress government. 

Mamata’s rant was against the Centre’s decision to authorise BSF to undertake search, seizure and arrest operations within a 50-km stretch, up from 15 kms, from the international border in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam. 

And on May 5, Union Home minister Amit Shah sent a subtle message to the TMC supremo by beginning his two-day Bengal visit by attending a BSF event in North 24 Parganas. “I understand that without the help of local administration, it is difficult to check infiltration and cross-border smuggling. But I would like to assure you that the political situation here will be such that you will get that help,” he quipped. 

In fact, Shah is scheduled to attend a number of BSF events during his stay in Bengal, apart from meeting BJP leaders to take stock of the state unit. What transpires between Shah and senior border officials would in all likelihood be kept under wraps, but it assumes immense significance given Mamata’s hostility against the Centre. 

All eyes would also be on how the Union Home minister plans to rejuvenate the directionless and infighting-plagued state unit. Shah’s visit to Bengal is the first since the BJP suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of TMC in the assembly elections last year. The debacle was followed by massive violence against BJP workers and widespread desertion, including by its MLAs. In such a situation, Shah has his task cut out.