The chinks in the Bengal BJP have surfaced again as the organisation is struggling to gather people to attend “shows” by central leaders who have been visiting the state to strengthen the party before the 2024 polls.

Hit by ever-brewing faction feuds, weak organisation and lack of dedicated workers, the BJP state unit is finding it difficult — as they had intended — to present a rosy picture in front of the leaders from Delhi.

“To gather a crowd for the events where the central minister will be present has become the toughest. Where do we find people for the shows?” a state BJP leader said. “Our support base has eroded so drastically that we have a handful of people to come out on the streets for us.”

The central BJP has picked 19 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal, which will be visited by union ministers. These ministers will then prepare a report on the party’s organisational strength in these constituencies with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls and then submit it to Delhi.

Smriti Irani, Pratima Bhoumik, R.K. Ranjan Singh and Kapil Moreshwar Patil are already in Bengal. While Irani has toured Howrah district and Bhoumik has met the workers of Diamond Harbour, Singh and Patil have been sent to Birbhum and South Calcutta, respectively.

According to sources in many constituencies, BJP’s support base has hit rock bottom. “For instance, the party is on ventilation in Jadavpur constituency. It is in similar doldrums in South 24-Parganas. Wouldn’t it be embarrassing to take Union ministers to these places?” a leader asked.

The leader said a meeting was held till late on Monday night only to convince workers of South Calcutta district to organise the Jadavpur event. In BJP’s scheme of things Jadavpur falls under the South Calcutta district.

Similarly, in South 24-Parganas BJP leaders alleged post-poll violence by the Trinamul have forced its supporters to either quit politics or defect to the ruling party. As a result, events presided by Union ministers are likely to draw a thin crowd.

Later this month, ministers like Bhupendra Yadav and Jyotiraditya Scindia are also supposed to visit the state. Party leaders are now trying to figure out ways beforehand to save any possible embarrassment.

Scindia will be touring Dum Dum Lok Sabha, which falls under BJP’s Calcutta North Suburban district. State leaders said the organisation there was still recovering from local party old timers falling out with the newcomer candidate thrust on them during the 2021 polls.

“The party is so faction-ridden in places such as Dum Dum. We are afraid that our local leaders own might sabotage the operations," a local party leader said.