BJP MP withdraws resignation from BJYM post after Shah's intervention
West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Saumitra Khan on Wednesday withdrew his resignation within hours after the intervention of the saffron party's central leadership. While announcing his resignation earlier, Khan had launched a fierce attack on the state BJP leadership through a Facebook post. The development comes amid a flare-up in internal feuds in the BJP after their recent Bengal election loss.
Late on Wednesday evening, Khan wrote on Facebook, "I take an opportunity to inform (you) that under the instruction of our BJP leaders BL Santhosh Ji, Amit Shah Ji, and Tejasvi Surya Ji, I withdraw my resignation as a mark of respect." State BJP sources informed NDTV that Khan was assured his grievances will be looked into.
Khan had announced his resignation as the Bengal chief of the BJP's youth wing, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), earlier on Wednesday. He maintained that he would remain associated with the BJP. He had initially not stated a reason for the resignation, which coincided with the induction of four BJP MPs from Bengal in the Union Ministry during Narendra Modi's high-profile Cabinet expansion.
"From today...I am relieving myself of the responsibility of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) state unit. I was in the BJP, I am in the BJP, and will continue to be a part of it," said Khan, an MP from Bishnupur.
Khan did not speak ill of the BJP's top leadership, but he launched a fierce attack on BJP's Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari. Khan claimed that Adhikari takes credit for all achievements and urged him to "look in the mirror." "He is misleading the leaders in New Delhi. He considers himself as the tallest leader of the party in Bengal," he said.
Khan, who had switched to the BJP from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2018, also took a dig at state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh. "He (Ghosh) understands only half of what happens. He cannot comprehend all of it," Khan said.
Reacting to Khan's remarks, Adhikari said that the Bishnupur MP is like his younger brother. "I will not take it seriously. He is my younger brother. I will go and have lunch at his residence in Delhi. I had campaigned for Saumitra Khan in Kotulpur in 2011. I wish him every success in his career," said Adhikari.
While the BJP is struggling to put its house in order, the TMC did not leave the opportunity to corner the saffron party. Reacting to the developments, TMC General Secretary Kunal Ghosh said, "Suvendu had enjoyed power in the TMC before joining the BJP. Now, he is cornering other leaders in the saffron party. Old and loyal members are bound to get upset."
Meanwhile, Khan's estranged wife, TMC leader Sujata Mondal, said that she had warned him against joining the BJP. She said, "He should understand that a party like the BJP will back elements like Adhikari. I had realized this long back."
Since the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, the BJP is facing an organizational crisis as many turncoats, who defected the TMC to join the BJP, are again trying to return to Mamata Banerjee's camp. The most prominent example is Mukul Roy, who joined the TMC again after the poll results. Others were also expected to return to the TMC, but Banerjee appears reluctant.
