Kurseong BJP MLA B.P. Sharma (Bajgain) on Wednesday took potshots at his party by claiming that the BJP neither listens to its MLA nor its mandal president.
Bajgain had contested against the BJP candidate Raju Bista during the recent Lok Sabha election, stating that he considered Bista, a native of Manipur, an outsider to Darjeeling, and had also alleged that the BJP was not sincere on the issue of Gorkhaland.
Following an interaction with the media in Calcutta, Bajgain told this newspaper over the phone: “The BJP neither listens to its MLA nor mandal president. This is the truth.”
The Kurseong MLA further added he would continue to speak the truth.
“I will continue to speak the truth, be with the truth. I will not bow down before anyone,” said Bajgain.
The Kurseong MLA has repeatedly put pressure on the BJP on issues like Gorkhaland and his decision to contest against the party’s official candidate in the Lok Sabha election.
Bajgain’s decision to contest the Lok Sabha election came after he raised the statehood issue in the Bengal Assembly thrice.
“His strong stand on Gorkhaland is possibly a reason why the BJP has not dared take action against him till date,” said an observer.
“I continue to remain the BJP MLA from Kurseong,” said Bajgain.
However, despite his strong stand on statehood, Bajgain did lose the Lok Sabha election miserably.
Bajgain secured only 7,447 votes out of a total valid votes of 13.9 lakh, fewer than NOTA’s 18,021 votes.
In comparison, Bista secured 6.79 lakh votes.
Following the appalling result for Bajgain, he announced that he would no longer speak on Gorkhaland.
“Following this result, I have decided not to indulge in politics using the Gorkhaland word. The mandate that I have received tells me that I should not speak on Gorkhaland,” Bajgain had told this newspaper earlier.
EVM ‘tampering’
Nisith Pramanik, former Union minister and BJP MP who was defeated by Trinamool Congress candidate from the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat, Jagdish Chandra Barma Basunia, alleged that he had received complaints from counting agents that EVM machines were “changed”.
“There are allegations from counting agents that the EVM machines were changed. In the coming days we will take appropriate steps to get our grievances redressed,” said Pramanik, during his first media interaction after his defeat in the election.
The BJP Cooch Behar district committee held a review meeting to analyse the loss and discuss remedial steps. The party also alleged that their supporters were facing atrocities from TMC cadres and decided to form a Quick Response Team (QRT) to look into such instances.
Additional reporting by Main Uddin Chisti from Cooch Behar
