Kolkata: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to hold a three-day training programme starting for all its West Bengal MPs, MLAs and other state leaders at the Vedic Village resort near Kolkata. The event will present an opportunity for BJP general secretary Sunil Bansal, who has been tasked with organisational affairs in West Bengal and Telangana, to interact with state leaders on common forum.
Bansal was recently relieved from his duties as the party’s Uttar Pradesh general secretary (organisation) and elevated as a national general secretary. He takes over the charge for West Bengal from Kailash Vijayvargiya.
Both Bengal and Telangana are particularly important in the BJP’s political plans. But while the party believes it has bright prospects in Telangana, its fortunes seem to have gone down in Bengal after the loss in 2021 Assembly elections. Several leaders who had switched over from the ruling Trinamool Congress have returned to the mother ship.
BJP sources say the training camp will focus on educating and familiarising the Bengal rank and file with the party’s ideology and goals. Speaking, Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya said: “Constantly learning and upgrading the skills of our political workers is inherent to the BJP’s functioning. The three-day residential Prashikshan Varg aims to bring senior workers across the state together for a deep, immersive learning experience on political and ideological issues shaping the political discourse in West Bengal. It also gives people an opportunity to interact with senior leaders in an informal environment.”
Welcoming the programme, BJP general secretary Jaganath Chattopadhae said: “This is routine organisational training program. In an ideology-based party, leaders and cadre need to upgrade themselves within the ideological framework. We shall take this program up to the mandal level to sensitise our ground force.”
The Vedic Village resort is located in a TMC-dominated area near Kolkata. Sources say BJP leaders might be shown black flags enroute the venue.
