Author: Our Correspondent
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: November 3, 2014
URL: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141103/jsp/bengal/story_18993382.jsp#.VFiADdBzvf9

That which cannot be named is “breathing down our neck”, the Trinamul Congress conceded today, virtually anointing the BJP as the main Opposition in the state.

The allusion to the BJP was made by Trinamul president Subrata Bakshi at a meeting in Midnapore town, at a time Narendra Modi’s party has stepped up the ante against the government over issues such as the Saradha scam and the Makhra violence.

“A particular political party is breathing down our neck. We will have to remember that the behaviour of a section of our party workers is distancing us from the people. We have to remember that we have to go out to people and sit for tests again. We have to reach out to them,” Bakshi told the workers’ meeting, organised as a preparatory session for the chief minister’s visit to West Midnapore on November 24.

The meeting was attended by senior Trinamul leaders such Sisir Adhikari.

The BJP, whose vote share in the state has increased from 6 per cent to 17 per cent in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, has hit out at the government of late. From state party president Rahul Sinha to BJP national general secretary J.P. Nadda, the party has criticised the ruling party’s alleged involvement in the Saradha scam and the Birbhum and Bhangar clashes.

The Burdwan blast, too, has added to the state government’s crises, with Opposition parties picking it up to organise protest rallies.

Last Friday, BJP national general secretary Nadda described the law and order situation in Bengal as “jungle raj”. With the party increasing its focus on Bengal, national president Amit Shah will hold a rally in Esplanade later this month and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will chair another in December.

Today, the human rights cell of the BJP demanded President’s rule in Bengal, citing lawlessness, misrule and failure of governance. Sudhir Agarwal, the convenor of the party’s human rights cell, wrote to governor Keshari Nath Tripathi seeking his intervention.

Trinamul sources in Midnapore town described the comments by Bakshi as “surprising”, saying he generally maintains a low profile.

“It is very unlike Bakshida to speak like this even at a party workers’ meeting. This reveals how worried the party leadership is about the current situation,” a Trinamul general secretary said.

“It is evident that the party is looking for a way out,” the leader added.

Bakshi today told the gathering of Trinamul workers that merely moving around with placards displaying photographs of Mamata Banerjee and projecting her as an embodiment of honesty would not be enough.

“People want to know who is carrying the placard. Only Mamata Banerjee’s pictures can’t rejuvenate the party,” Bakshi said.

According to Bakshi, a section of the ruling party will have to “clean” up its act.

“The huge majority we got in the Assembly polls has led to complacency. In order to rebuild the image of the party, we will have to have a clean up our image first,” Bakshi said.