Kolkata, 31 December (H.S.): With preparations for the West Bengal Assembly elections gaining momentum, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday night held a crucial meeting with the state Bharatiya Janata Party’s core committee. During the meeting, Shah took a detailed, region-wise assessment of the political and social situation and sought open feedback and suggestions from party leaders. He also expressed clear displeasure over questions related to the so-called “setting theory.”
According to a senior state committee leader, the core committee meeting was held at the BJP’s Salt Lake office. The meeting was attended by state BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, Union ministers Sukanta Majumdar and Shantanu Thakur, along with senior organizational functionaries and central observers.
Party sources said Amit Shah spoke less and listened more during the meeting. He discussed the situation in every region in detail and laid special emphasis on strengthening the organization at the booth level. Shah reiterated that booth-level workers play the most decisive role in elections and stressed the need to further consolidate the party’s grassroots structure.
The issue of the “setting theory” also came up during the discussion. While Shah did not publicly show any displeasure when the question was raised during a press conference earlier in the day, he expressed his irritation over the matter during the core committee meeting. BJP sources said Shah made it clear that he does not appreciate such speculation.
The meeting also reviewed party programs related to the upcoming Assembly elections, organizational preparedness, and the intensity of movements against the ruling Trinamool Congress. Shah reminded the state leadership of the number of times Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he himself have visited West Bengal and the amount of time they have devoted to the state. Despite this, he expressed surprise over questions being raised about the “setting theory.”
The issue of concerns among the Matua community regarding the SIR also figured in the meeting. According to BJP sources, Shah assured the leadership that he would personally ensure that names of Matua voters are not removed from the electoral rolls in large numbers. He also promised to prevent the Trinamool Congress from creating fear in Matua-dominated areas to gain political advantage.
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Coordination Meeting With RSS
After the core committee meeting, Amit Shah moved to Talukuthi in New Town, where he stayed overnight. He also held a coordination meeting with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The meeting was attended by senior RSS functionary Arun Kumar, who is responsible for coordination between the Sangh and the BJP at the national level, along with several other key leaders. However, the RSS leadership chose not to comment on the meeting. Bengal’s Prachar Pramukh Jishnu Basu said it was an internal meeting and there was nothing to be shared publicly.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
