BJP does not support division of West Bengal, says Suvendu Adhikari

BJP in West Bengal opposes state division, focusing on development and addressing infiltration concerns, amid internal controversies.

Amidst calls by BJP leaders in West Bengal and outside for division of the State, the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said on Monday that the party does not want any bifurcation.

“The BJP has a clear stand. We do not support any division of West Bengal, separate or creation of Union Territories out of the State,’ the BJP MLA from Nandigram told journalists outside the premises of Assembly.

Last week, the BJP MP from Jharkhand, Nishikant Dubey, had sought the creation of a Union Territory comprising Malda and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal, a few districts of Bihar, and the Santhal Parganas region of Jharkhand.

Mr. Adhikari dubbed the remarks by BJP legislators from Murshidabad in support of Mr. Dubey as their “personal opinion”.

West Bengal BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Shamik Bhattacharya had earlier said the State BJP would not support any bifurcation.

Not only Mr. Dubey, but State BJP president and Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar has also triggered controversy with his remarks that parts of north Bengal be included in the north-east region. Though Mr. Majumdar clarified that he did not want any division of the State, his remarks added fuel to the demand for statehood for Gorkhaland and Greater Cooch Behar.

Mr. Adhikari, however, added that “infiltrators” should be identified, and “Rohingya infiltrators” would have to be pushed out of the State. The BJP leader said that at 72 places along the India-Bangladesh border, the West Bengal government had refused to give land to the Border Security Force (BSF) to erect fences.