BJP wants other parties on Nabanna march, but no takers

Kolkata: The Bengal BJP is looking to unite opposition parties in the state against the Mamata Banerjee government, on the same lines as the efforts being made against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, aiming for a broad-based movement, has appealed to other parties opposed to “high-level corruption” to join the Nabanna Aviyan on September 17 under their party banners.BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh supported Majumdar and proposed a “broader alliance” against the “large-scale corruption” in Bengal following the recent cash expose leading to the arrest of former education minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with the school jobs scam.“If parties having different ideologies can come together against PM Modi at the national level, why can’t they do that against the high-level corruption in Bengal?” said Ghosh.But there were hardly any takers for Bengal BJP’s proposal. “Corruption in Bengal is a matter of concern. We are taking to the streets on our own. But I do not see any possibility of joining a BJP programme,” said Congress veteran Pradip Bhattacharya.CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty refused to distinguish between TMC and BJP. “The central investigating agencies have sprung to action recently. But we do not know how long they will continue. We had a bitter experience during the Saradha investigation,” he said.Bengal BJP leaders are desperately looking for a “groundswell” during the Nabanna march to charge up ranks ahead of the 2023 rural elections.BJP all-India general secretary B L Santosh and newly appointed national secretary in charge of Bengal Sunil Bansal are coming to the state for a three-day training workshop for MPs, MLAs, and state and district functionaries at Vedic Village from August 29 to 31.The leaders are likely to have a word with Ghosh, who has been shooting his mouth off on a host of issues. The BJP brass had censured Ghosh, though the party wants Bengal leaders to work unitedly in the run-up to the panchayat polls.