Bengal BJP leadership is incompetent … TMC contacted me (after results) … Some proposals have come but I have not made up my mind yet: MP Saumitra Khan

Divisions in the West Bengal BJP are out in the open since the party lost ground in the state in the Lok Sabha elections, dropping from 18 to 12 seats. After the results, Bishnupur MP Saumitra Khan was among the first to criticise the state leadership for the party’s poor performance. A three-time MP, Khan defeated the Trinamool Congress’s (TMC) candidate Sujata Mondal, his ex-wife, by just 5,567 votes. It was the narrowest victory margin in all the 42 seats in the state.

In an interview over the phone, Khan who was with the TMC until 2019 speaks of his relationship with the Mamata Banerjee-led party and assesses the results. Excerpts:

The party made some wrong decisions. There was a gap in our policy-making. The TMC laid special focus on two Assembly segments per Lok Sabha constituency and planned accordingly. We could not counter it.

The leadership must take everyone along with them. It cannot afford to ignore the contribution of party workers and leaders. If they fail to do so, another electoral setback is imminent.

We have to build district-wise leadership. One of the big three (Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Union Health Minister and BJP president J P Nadda) needs to sit with Bengal BJP leaders and introspect why we could not win more seats. The central leadership has to intervene to stop a further deterioration of the state BJP.

Everyone is giving their opinion. All those who can run the state unit have opened their mouths. It is evident that only incompetent persons are running the state unit at present.

I do not want any posts. If they want my opinion on the future strategy of the party, I will definitely help. I am willing to extend all my cooperation if the party is willing to accept