The security cover of BJP Kurseong MLA B.P. Bajgain was withdrawn by the Centre on Friday, the day the legislator voiced concern on BJP president J.P. Nadda’s remark on regionalism and regional party.

Bajgain said that the in-charge of his security told him around 10.30pm on Friday that his security cover had been withdrawn. “At 12.30am (Saturday) the personnel left my house (in Siliguri),” said Bajgain.

On Friday, Bajgain criticised BJP president Nadda’s comment on Thursday on regional and regional parties while releasing the BJP manifesto for Sikkim in Gangtok.

“I want to make a request. Enough is enough. You have to come to mainstream and mainstream is the BJP and the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi. There has been enough of regional parties...,” Nadda had said.

Bajgain immediately retorted: “To kill regionalism is to kill our culture, language. When Sikkim was merged, the issue of the security of Sikkimese was important. To kill regionalism also means to kill our demand for separation from Bengal.”

The Kurseong legislator had been provided an X security cover after he won the 2021 Bengal Assembly election.

“The Union home ministry had posted four CISF personnel at my residence and two more personnel would move around with me,” said Bajgain.

The Kurseong MLA also filed his nominations as an Independent from the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat.

Bajgain said that his move to contest as an Independent was a symbolic protest to the party for failing to nominate a “bhoomiputra” from the Darjeeling seat.

Bajgain does not share a cordial relationship with sitting Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista. He considers Bista an “outsider.” Bista hails from Maniput but his in-laws are from Darjeeling district.

On Saturday, Bajgain stuck to his ground on the demand for the separation of the region from Bengal and said that the BJP government’s latest move indicated that the saffron camp was not in favour of statehood.

“Union home minister Amit Shah has acted like a BJP cadre and not as the Union home minister.... My security was withdrawn when I opposed the imposition of a candidate and questioned the party for not carrying forward and fulfilling the demand of our state,” said Bajgain.

The BJP leader, however, said he would not resign from the party. “I have decided to raise my voice by staying within the party,” said Bajgain who also wondered what about the BJP’s compulsion to keep him in the party.

“If my security cover has been removed for political reasons, then they might as well remove me from the party. What is their compulsion to keep me in the party?” said Bajgain.

Many believe that the BJP might be on the back foot during election time if Bajgain, seen as a strong campaigner for statehood, is removed from the party.

“I have raised the issue of Gorkhaland four times in the Bengal Assembly,” said Bajgain who added that he had written to the Darjeeling SP to provide him with security cover given the “threat from both the BJP and Trinamul" that are opposed to the demand to separate from Bengal.