Politics · India · 3 hrs ago
West Bengal BJP chief urges police cases against party impostors
West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya called for police cases against people who claim to belong to the party and damage its image.
He said the BJP came to power without their help and that simply garlanding party leaders does not make someone a member.
The party has not officially opened its doors to new members, as it faces claims that leaders and supporters of other parties are trying to join.
The remarks come amid reports of alleged extortion by BJP supporters, an accusation previously made against Trinamool Congress leaders when they were in power.
Bhattacharya said the BJP would appoint its own ward coordinators if elections for civic bodies in Kolkata and Howrah are delayed.
The West Bengal government has said it may appoint coordinators if the Supreme Court does not lift a stay on the polls.
A pending court challenge to ward boundaries is holding up the election process, after the Calcutta High Court barred the state election commission from issuing a poll notice based on the revised boundaries.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya urged police to register cases against people associating with the party to tarnish its image.
He said anyone seeking to join cannot claim allegiance simply by garlanding BJP leaders.
Bhattacharya said the party’s door had not officially opened to outsiders and that it would correct any deviations.
He also said BJP leaders would be appointed as ward coordinators in Kolkata and Howrah if municipal elections were delayed.
The remarks came amid allegations that leaders and supporters of other parties were trying to join the BJP.
- Who
- Samik Bhattacharya, president of the BJP’s West Bengal unit.
- What
- He called for FIRs against people associating with the BJP to tarnish its image and said BJP leaders would be appointed as ward coordinators if civic polls were delayed.
- When
- Friday, November 13, 2026.
- Where
- West Bengal; he also discussed ward coordination in Kolkata and Howrah.
- Why
- He said the party should act against people trying to associate with it and damage its image, amid claims of outsiders joining the BJP.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Calcutta High Court restrained the State Election Commission from issuing a notification for upcoming Kolkata municipal elections based on redrawn wards until a pending delimitation petition is decided.
Samik Bhattacharya called for FIRs against people associating with the BJP to tarnish its image and said BJP leaders would be ward coordinators if civic polls were delayed.
- BJP state president
- Samik Bhattacharya
- Call for police action
- Register FIRs against people tarnishing the party’s image
- Ward coordination
- BJP leaders would be appointed as coordinators
- Cities named
- Kolkata and Howrah
- Court order
- October 6 restraint on election notification based on redrawn wards
What people are saying
Register FIRs. Suvendu Adhikari is the police minister. Give me the papers, I will file them,
The door was closed before; it is still closed. The door has not been officially opened,
They (the ward coordinators) will be BJP people,