Former Trinamul Congress No. 2 Mukul Roy was promoted as a national vice-president of the BJP and fellow Trinamul turncoat Anupam Hazra made the national secretary in the reconstituted BJP national committee that was announced on Saturday.

The new committee, in which Darjeeling MP Raju Bista was also made a national spokesperson, made it clear that the party was taking its Mission Bengal seriously, but the nominations from the state further deepened the cracks in the Bengal unit of the party as some questioned the national leadership’s decision to put Trinamul turncoats in prominent positions.

“It is good that the party leadership kept Bengal in focus during the rejig.… But it’s sad to see new entrants in the party getting prominent positions while the loyal supporters are getting sidelined,” said a state leader preferring to be anonymous.

The murmur of discontent over Trinamul turncoats gaining prominence in the party has been brewing in the state BJP for some time. But Roy’s elevation and inclusion of Hazra on the list of national secretaries at the expense of two-time state president Rahul Sinha, who was dropped from the list, triggered outbursts.

Sinha circulated a video message on Saturday evening making his displeasure clear.

“After 40 years of serving the party through thick and thin this is my reward. I had to step aside to make room for someone who has switched over from Trinamul. I don’t have anything else to say,” he said adding that he will divulge his future plans within 10 to 12 days.

Rahul Sinha File picture

Several state BJP leaders this correspondent spoke to said the rejig did not regard the contributions of old-timers. “If the core of the party is unhappy, the impact will be felt in the elections,” said one of the old-timers.

The changes, however, were welcomed by another section in the BJP, who said the rejig was in sync with the party’s aim of wresting the Bengal Assembly.

According to a senior party leader, Roy’s promotion as a national vice-president was significant as it signalled that he would play a key role in the Assembly elections.

“Mukulda was one of the founding members of Trinamul... He had played a key role in building the party. Our party definitely needs his expertise,” this person said.

Roy, however, was measured in his reaction.

“The party has assigned me a responsibility and I’ll try my best to live up to it. In the upcoming Assembly polls, all of us in the state will work together towards success,” he said.

Roy’s elevation is seen by many as a balancing act, because Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh had denied him any significant role in the party’s scheme of things here.

However, Hazra’s inclusion in the list of national secretaries came as a surprise to most at 6 Muralidhar Sen Lane, the BJP state headquarters. “Is it a printing mistake?” wondered one of the state leaders.

The new committee of the party’s state women’s wing was also announced on Saturday amid controversy as some existing members were dropped.

Those dropped accused Agnimitra Paul, the new president who took over from MP Locket Chatterjee in June this year, of favouritism. “We don’t even know some of the new members in the state committee. We went out to the streets and worked for the party and now we get no recognition in return,” a former state committee member of the Morcha said.