With West Bengal’s assembly elections looming, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) newly appointed state president, Samik Bhattacharya, is launching an ambitious weekly outreach program to mend internal rifts and galvanize the party’s grassroots. Starting next month, Bhattacharya will host interactive sessions every Monday from 2 PM to 6 PM at the BJP’s state headquarters in central Kolkata, engaging directly with party workers to address grievances and gather suggestions.

“The BJP is like one big family,” Bhattacharya said, emphasizing his commitment to fostering open dialogue. “Every week, I will meet party workers and have a freewheeling chat on various issues.” The initiative comes at a critical juncture for the BJP, which has struggled to maintain momentum since its strong showing in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and a lackluster performance in the 2021 state elections.

Party insiders reveal that the program targets growing discontent among booth-level workers, who feel neglected by state leadership amid persistent factionalism. “Unless the organization is united and disciplined, we cannot hope to take on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in a head-to-head battle,” a senior BJP leader remarked. The TMC’s robust organizational machinery has consistently outpaced the BJP, despite the latter’s protests against alleged TMC irregularities, such as the teachers’ recruitment scam.

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Bhattacharya, who succeeded Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar as state president in July, faces the dual challenge of healing internal divisions and strengthening the party’s election strategy. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Majumdar have pushed corruption as the BJP’s primary campaign issue, but internal squabbles have weakened their offensive. “Strengthening the organization is the only way to challenge TMC on equal footing,” another senior leader noted, highlighting the outreach program’s role in rebuilding trust between the leadership and grassroots workers.

As the elections approach, Bhattacharya’s initiative aims to unify the BJP’s cadre, quell disillusionment, and inject fresh energy into its campaign. By addressing factionalism head-on and empowering booth-level workers, the BJP hopes to mount a formidable challenge against the TMC’s dominance in West Bengal’s political landscape.

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