Bengal BJP enforces one-man, one-post policy in major rejig

Barely a couple of months before the first phase of the civic elections were to take place in the state, the Bengal BJP on Friday effected a massive organisational rejig along the lines of a “one man, one post” policy, relieving several senior ministers of their party organisational positions and also interchanging the party posts.

Among the ministers and MLAs who were removed from their party posts were Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay, Tapas Roy, Indranil Khan, Sarbari Mukherjee and others. The reshuffle was undertaken to implement the “one man one post” policy, a senior party functionary said. Hence, Chattopadhyay was removed as Vice-President, and Sharbari Mukherjee was relieved as State Mahila Morcha Secretary.

Darjeeling MP was one among the five vice presidents inducted. Five new faces have been inducted, while Bijan Goswami was appointed as a new General Secretary, replacing Bapi Goswami. However, Locket Chatterjee, Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, and Shashi Agnihotri would continue as general secretaries.

The rejig comes about two months ahead of the coming civic elections to seven municipal boards, including Kolkata and Howrah municipal corporations and five municipalities of Haldia and Bally in South Bengal and Kalimpong, Kurseong and Dhupguri in North Bengal.

State Chief Election Commissioner Krishna Gupta said that the poll panel was prepared to hold the elections “some time at the end of November”, the dates of which would be given out at a future date.

The Mamata TMC, however, questioned the tentative dates announced by the SEC, saying, “Still, we have the party name and symbol issue pending with the Election Commission of India.”