‘No municipality, panchayat should be taken over in party’s name’: Samik Bhattacharya on Kamarhati row

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Bengal president Samik Bhattacharya, on Monday issued a stern warning to party leaders over the controversy surrounding the change of chairman at the Kamarhati Municipality indicating that the party would not tolerate any attempt to project the civic body as being under the party’s control.

Addressing a meeting at the BJP state headquarters in Kolkata to mark the 125 birth anniversary of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Bhattacharya directed the BJP’s state general secretary (organisation), Amitabh Chakraborty, to obtain a detailed report on the developments by 4 pm on Monday.

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Questioning the circumstances under which the change in the municipal chairmanship took place, Bhattacharya asked who authorised anyone to claim that Kamarhati Municipality was being run by the BJP.

“No municipality or panchayat should be taken over in the party’s name. If anyone attempts to declare a municipality or panchayat BJP-run overnight, the party will take strict action,” he said.

Referring to the state government’s stand on municipalities where elected boards lose their majority, Bhattacharya said Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has already stated that administrators would be appointed in such cases, adding that this was the responsibility of the government and not of the BJP.

In a sharp political swipe, he said district leaders should visit Kamarhati Municipality and “wash the chairman’s chair with Ganga water”, underscoring the party’s disapproval of the developments.

Bhattacharya also acknowledged that some BJP workers acted out of emotion by locking municipal offices in certain places, but asserted that such actions did not reflect the party’s official position.

He warned party workers and leaders against creating confusion by claiming positions of authority without organisational approval.

“Those who believe that merely carrying the BJP flag will establish them as councillors or office-bearers are mistaken,” he said.

Referring specifically to reports emerging from Kamarhati, Bhattacharya said he heard that some individuals had declared themselves chairman or office-bearers. He advised them to exercise restraint, pointing out that the party has not yet taken any decision on the matter.

The BJP state president further cautioned that no one, irrespective of whether they were an MLA, district leader or office-bearer, would be spared if found responsible for violating the party line.

He reiterated that all facts surrounding the Kamarhati episode must be placed before Amitabh Chakraborty by the stipulated deadline, after which the party would decide on its next course of action.