Over 100 BJP old-timers from several districts on Thursday agitated in front of the party's state headquarters at 6, Murlidhar Lane here, accusing a section of top leadership of sidelining those who played a crucial role in the party winning 18 Lok Sabha seats from Bengal in 2019.

Thursday's protest, which came a day after a different set of BJP workers from North 24-Parganas agitated in the party's Salt Lake office, exposed how the saffron camp was split between newcomers and veterans, multiple sources in the party admitted.

The agitation at two major party offices on two consecutive days is significant as Union home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Calcutta on Monday to inaugurate a Durga Puja. Shah has set a target for Bengal BJP leaders to win 35 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2024.

Agitating BJP workers on Thursday assembled in front of the party's 6, Murlidhar Lane office, under the banner of Save West Bengal BJP, with pictures of several party office-bearers, accusing them of playing a role that would invite another electoral failure for the party in 2024.

"We don't want a repetition of the 2021 (Assembly) polls in 2024 (general elections). The current office-bearers sidelined those who actually worked for the party in 2019 to help it win 18 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal and gave responsibilities to those who are hand in glove with Trinamul," said a protester.

Anil Singh, a BJP leader from Birbhum who took part in Thursday's protest, said: "The present set of leaders is so desperate that they ignore veterans like Dilip Ghosh and Rahul Sinha. We, who have worked for the party on the ground, face the same treatment in our district."

Former BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh on Thursday told reporters that protests were erupting as some party leaders did not listen to party workers. "Leaders should listen to all," he said.

State BJP chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya admitted that the protest was "unexpected". "Anyone with grievances could have approached leaders properly," he said.