Sukanta Majumdar’s appointment as MoS indicates change at Bengal BJP’s helm

BJP MPs from West Bengal — Sukanta Majumdar from Balurghat and Shantanu Thakur from Bongaon — were on Sunday inducted in the Union Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from West Bengal — Sukanta Majumdar from Balurghat and Shantanu Thakur from Bongaon — were on Sunday inducted in the Union Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, the BJP has won 12 while 29 went to the Trinamool Congress and one to Congress.

While Bongaon MP and Matua leader, Mr. Thakur was Minister of State in the previous Modi government as well, Mr. Majumdar, a term MP from Balurghat and West Bengal BJP chief, has been inducted for the first time.

The inclusion of Mr. Majumdar in the Union Council of Ministers indicates that there will be a change in West Bengal BJP leadership. A PhD in Botany, Mr. Majumdar was appointed West Bengal BJP president in 2021 after the party failed to defeat the Trinamool Congress in the Assembly polls.

In the Lok Sabha polls this year, too, BJP fell short of Trinamool’s victory despite a high-pitched campaign. The saffron party registered a 38.73% vote share, whereas Trinamool’s share was 45.76%. Mr. Majumdar acknowledged that the new responsibility means he will have to relinquish his party post.

“I will take up whatever responsibility which party gives me. As loyal soldiers of the party, we do not pick up which front we fight,” he said.

After the setback in the Lok Sabha polls, questions have been raised in the Bengal BJP leadership about changing key constituencies of sitting MPs, including Dilip Ghosh. Mr. Ghosh had publicly said that he lost the polls due to “back biting in the party”.