BJP begins organisational elections nationwide, but West Bengal lags amid leadership challenges and internal divisions.
New Delhi: After a prolonged period of inaction, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has finally initiated its much-awaited organisational elections across various states—a crucial prerequisite for electing the party’s next national president. However, despite all national-level initiatives, the BJP’s West Bengal unit remains significantly behind in this process. In Bengal, there seems to be no apparent urgency to conclude the long-pending organisational elections or to appoint new leadership at various hierarchical levels within the state unit. Instead, the Bengal BJP continues to be plagued by internal divisions and factionalism. A senior BJP leader from the state, however, conveyed to
The Sunday Guardian that despite all existing hurdles, the state unit is determined to elect its new president ahead of the party’s national president selection. Names of Samik Bhattacharya and Amitava Chakraborty are reportedly under consideration for the post.
Among all states, West Bengal presents one of the most formidable challenges for the BJP’s organisational elections. The party cannot afford to appoint a state president who lacks strong voter support, especially with the crucial Assembly elections looming next year. Therefore, the party is searching for a seasoned and influential leader—someone who commands equal respect among both Bengali and non-Bengali communities and enjoys broad-based support within the state cadre of the BJP.
An insider familiar with these developments told The Sunday Guardian that the list of potential candidates for the Bengal state president includes the current incumbent Sukanta Majumdar, who the party might consider reappointing. Additionally, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly is actively lobbying for the post. Former state president Dilip Ghosh was once considered a strong contender, but currently, the party appears to have distanced itself from him due to perceived shifts in his recent conduct and political behaviour.According to the source, amidst all the known contenders, one name is emerging as a dark horse in the race for state president—Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya. A veteran in the Bengal BJP unit, Bhattacharya enjoys considerable influence both within the party cadre and at the grassroots level.
As such, the party might consider elevating Bhattacharya as the next state president. Another contender under consideration is Amitava Chakraborty, who currently serves as the BJP’s State General Secretary (Organisation). Known for his quiet, non-confrontational style and low public profile, Chakraborty maintains close working ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). While some sections of the party have raised concerns about potential bias due to his RSS proximity, his disciplined approach and perceived loyalty to the organisation make him a strong candidate.
A political analyst closely monitoring the BJP’s internal dynamics in Bengal shared with The Sunday Guardian that the party’s decision on who will be the next state president remains uncertain.
The BJP’s unpredictable and often surprise-driven decision-making process—especially under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah—suggests that a wildcard choice cannot be ruled out. He added that the new State BJP president will have to get the endorsement of almost half of the district presidents. The saffron party is deciding on a new BJP president at a crucial juncture while preparing for next year’s Assembly polls. The West Bengal BJP registered its best electoral performance in 2019, under the leadership of Ghosh, when it won 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which were held under the stewardship of Majumdar, the BJP managed only 12 of the 42 seats. It is also essential to note that these organisational posts carry a fixed term of three years from the date of appointment. According to the BJP’s internal election guidelines, individuals aspiring for the post of mandal president must fall within the age bracket of 35 to 45 years. For the district president role, the maximum permissible age is capped at 60. Nonetheless, to promote inclusivity and broader participation, the party has allowed an age relaxation of one to two years for candidates belonging to reserved categories—such as women, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).