EXCLUSIVE: 'Youth of Bengal is bringing in change; BJP will cross 180-plus seats'

By Asianet Newsable English | First Published Apr 1, 2021, 5:03 PM IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party is confident of making a serious impact in the West Bengal election. With the promise of transforming West Bengal into 'Sonar Bangla' and riding on people's alleged resentment against Mamata, the saffron party is hoping to come to power in the state.

Asianet Newsable's Yacoob reached out to BJP's West Bengal Youth President and two-time MP Saumitra Khan to understand why BJP is confident of causing an upset on May 2 when the votes are counted.

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How confident is the BJP of making an impact in the West Bengal election?

I am 100 per cent confident. We already had 35 seats in the assembly. From my constituency (Bishnupur Lok Sabha seat), which comprises six assembly seats, we will win all. I am saying this with confidence. As the days progress, the Trinamool Congress will not have anyone left in the party.

The party was impressed with your performance after the Lok Sabha election (BJP clinched 18 seats), and it is said that the youth voted BJP. Do you think the trend will repeat in the assembly elections?

It is the youth of Bengal that is bringing the change. The voters in the age group of 18 to 40 are voting BJP. It appears that the Trinamool will not even get 10 to 15 per cent of votes. The reason for this is because the youths of West Bengal have changed completely.

Politics often casts a shadow on immediate family, and in your case, your ten-year-old married life was impacted after your wife Sujata Mondal joined TMC? What is your perspective on this?

Politics is fascinating, and I love politics. I see politics as God. Politics is not dirty. People think differently. I don't know what is going on in her (Sujata Mondal) mind. I have seen the voters' interest in BJP after seeing (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. There will definitely be a sunrise.

The BJP witnessed a horde of TMC leaders joining the party, resulting in a tussle between long-standing leaders and new entrants. Will this not hamper your party's chances?

In 294 seats, across all the parties, ten to fifteen per cent will not be happy. If we go by this logic, even we will have five to ten per cent. In BJP, so many new leaders have joined. It's not that all are good and all can work. But they will eventually fall in line and are making efforts to work with the organization. If one is going out, one more will be roped in. This is how an organization will have to be run. We have people now. BJP has progressed. More people are joining.

If a Trinamool leader from the particular district joins the BJP, the long-standing leaders from that area naturally get annoyed. That does not mean this resentment will have an impact all over. Only one or two per cent will be impacted. Now, there is a Modi wave. That will do good for West Bengal. That is a belief among the state's people. The youths especially believe that this time at least something (change in power) will happen.

Although BJP has leaders like Kailash Vijayvargiya, Mukul Roy, and others, the party is yet to project a chief minister's face in Bengal. Who do you think has an edge in case the party comes to power?

Things will be good (for BJP). By declaring a chief ministerial face in the BJP, many senior leaders may back out. Now, all have one common goal, and that is to win the election.

The decision on who will be made Chief Minister, will be left to the central leaders. Trinamool Congress is more or less a one-person army -- Mamata Banarjee. There are no other leaders (second-line leaders), and this will benefit the BJP.

Your opponents say that many BJP central leadership threatened many leaders with IT, CBI raids, etc., to weaken TMC. They also refer to names like Mukul Roy and others in the Saradha Chit fund scam. What do you have to say?

Let me tell you one thing. The situation in West Bengal is dangerous (under TMC). This happens at the district level. They don't allow inquiry into any incidents. The state government will not make any inquiry into attacks on BJP cadre. There was an incident in Moyna (ex-cricketer Ashok Dinda's car was attacked).

On what issues is the BJP contesting the West Bengal elections?

We will transform West Bengal into 'Sonar Bangla'. We will empower labourers and women. We will highlight the failures of the Trinamool Congress for the last ten years. All their scams are being highlighted. People are angered by the TMC's rule. Let us first bring our government, and then we will see what to do next.

Which are the BJP's stronghold areas in Bengal?

In Bengal, everywhere, BJP is emerging as a strong force. People are fed up with the Trinamool administration. People don't like the way she addresses. Even in Kolkata, people are leaving (TMC). Now I can say we may even win Bhawanipur (Mamata Banarjee's stronghold). There is a fight in other areas (TMC strongholds). We will win maximum seats.

How many seats is the BJP hoping to win this election, and what do you say about surveys that give a clear majority to TMC?

I feel we will cross 180 seats. See, surveys sometimes will give correct results and sometimes go wrong. Only we know the ground reality. When I joined BJP in January 2019, no one thought we would win (18 seats). I will tell you again. We will win and cross 180 plus seats.

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