Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh on Thursday asserted that voters in West Bengal are not interested in “mandir–masjid politics” and are instead seeking employment and development—remarks that stand in contrast to the religious mobilisation narrative consistently projected by a section of the party’s state leadership.
“People in Bengal do not seek mandir, masjid politics. There is no employment in the state. People want jobs,” Ghosh said during a press conference at the BJP office on Friday, while criticising Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Durga Angan project. He added that identity-based religious issues do not translate into electoral gains and cautioned that such an approach would not help expand the BJP’s support base in the state.
Ghosh, under whose leadership the BJP recorded its highest-ever Lok Sabha seat tally in West Bengal in 2019, also appeared to take a swipe at “recent entrants” to the party, stating that understanding the organisation’s culture takes time. Though he did not name anyone, the remarks were widely interpreted as a veiled reference to leaders who joined the BJP in recent years, including Suvendu Adhikari, who switched from the Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections.
Reflecting on his own political journey, Ghosh referred to being fielded from the Burdwan–Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency in 2024—a move he described as unnecessary. “Was there any need for the party to nominate me from that seat? Everyone saw what happened,” he said, alluding to his electoral defeat.
Ghosh’s remarks are in sharp contrast to those of Bengal’s Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari. Addressing a public meeting in Malda’s Chachal earlier on Friday, Adhikari urged “Sanatani Hindus” to unite. Referring to recent political developments in North Malda, he said, “If the Sanatanis come forward after seeing what happened in North Malda, the BJP will win not 200, but 220 seats.”
Adhikari has repeatedly leaned on a communal narrative in recent months. In February 2025, he described the Mamata Banerjee-led government as a “government of Muslims.” In March 2025, he threatened to “throw out” Muslim legislators from the Assembly if the BJP came to power. In December 2025, he drew parallels between Bangladesh and Gaza and compared Bengal’s governance to that of Bangladesh’s caretaker administration under Mohammed Yunus. He has also alleged that the Trinamool Congress was distributing “birth control medicines” at health camps “to reduce the Hindu population” in the state.
Reiterating his organisational view, Ghosh said the BJP is a cadre-driven party where all leaders are workers first. He added that “newer entrants” must demonstrate their commitment to the party, without specifying names. The divergence in messaging has highlighted contrasting political approaches within the West Bengal BJP leadership.
“It takes time for newcomers to understand the party’s culture,” Ghosh said. He also cited the BJP’s loss in Faizabad during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections despite the construction of the Ram Mandir, arguing that religious symbolism alone does not determine electoral outcomes.
Addressing criticism over his visit to the Jagannath temple in Digha, where he met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Ghosh defended the visit as a personal act of faith. He also spoke candidly about being sidelined within the party, alleging that “agenda-driven theories” had contributed to his isolation, while maintaining that he continued to trust the central leadership.
Ghosh is expected to re-emerge more actively in state politics months after taking what he described as a sabbatical. His first press conference in a considerable period came a day after he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the latter’s recent Kolkata visit. He also held discussions with state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and expressed his desire to contest the 2026 Assembly elections from Kharagpur, his political base. According to sources, he has sought permission to begin a three-day campaign in the constituency.
