The summary expulsion of BJP’s Howrah Town organisational district chief Surajit Saha for his comments against leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has triggered a virtual revolt among old-timers with several leaders showcasing the incident as an instance of the Nandigram MLA “blackmailing” the state party leadership.

These leaders said Saha, who has been a BJP worker for 28 years, was expelled from the party within hours of publicly lashing out against Adhikari on Wednesday. The Bengal BJP’s current unit severed ties with Saha over a single phone call from Adhikari, the sources said.

“After Surajit’s video went viral and was being aired everywhere, Suvenduda called Amitavada (Chakraborty) and told him that if action against Surajit wasn’t taken immediately he will not come to the party office and also stop being involved in party affairs. Within moments, it was decided that Surajit will be expelled without even being given a chance to explain himself,” a state BJP functionary said.

Chakraborty is the general secretary (organisation) of BJP’s state unit.

The incident has again revealed fissures within the BJP, which saffron leaders otherwise try to project as a unified entity.

At a closed-door meeting of BJP leaders from Calcutta and Howrah on Tuesday, which was attended by Saha, the Nandigram MLA had alleged that a section of Howrah’s BJP leaders and workers had been bribed by Trinamul Congress to sabotage the party’s chances in the Assembly polls held in April.

This accusation angered Saha and on Wednesday, he publicly hit out at Adhikari. He questioned the decision to appoint Trinamul turncoat Rathin Chakraborty as the chief of a committee formed to oversee the ensuing civic polls in Howrah. Saha had questioned the party leadership for not appointing a BJP old-timer to the post.

“Howrah’s BJP workers don’t need to take a certificate from Suvendu Adhikari, who joined the party just a few months back.… Rather he needs to prove that he isn’t guilty of receiving bribes in the Narada case…. There is video proof of it,” Saha said on Wednesday.

BJP leaders supporting Saha said multiple leaders and workers have publicly criticised the party and its leaders, including former state president Tathagata Roy. Why was no action been taken against them, they asked.

The BJP appointed Moni Mohan Bhattacharya as the convenor of Howrah Sadar district. The decision to replace Saha with Bhattacharya has split the state unit.

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