The perceived marginalisation of veteran BJP leader Dilip Ghosh intensified on Friday, after Ghosh skipped Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Durgapur rally and arrived in the national capital on Friday morning to meet BJP National President J.P. Nadda.
He was unable to secure an audience, even after visiting Nadda’s residence. Sources indicate that Ghosh visited Nadda’s residence around 1 PM, only for his vehicle to be seen leaving within approximately five minutes. It was later confirmed that Nadda was not present at his residence at the time, and thus no meeting occurred. This development reportedly left Ghosh returning empty-handed, though he remained tight-lipped on the matter, stating only, “I will say what needs to be said when the time is right.” However, Ghosh met Nadda later in the day.
Durgapur Rally Controversy and Delhi Departure
The question of whether Dilip Ghosh would be present at the Prime Minister’s rally in Durgapur was a subject of intense discussion for several days. Initially, reports suggested that an invitation had been extended to the influential senior leader by the party. However, Ghosh himself later claimed that the West Bengal BJP had not invited him. Despite this, he had affirmed his intention to attend the rally as a party worker.
All speculation surrounding his attendance at the Durgapur rally was seemingly put to rest on Friday morning when the BJP leader departed for Delhi. At the time, it was understood that his Delhi trip was at Nadda’s behest.
Lingering “Old vs. New” Factionalism
The Bengal BJP has long been plagued by an “old vs. new” factionalism, with Dilip Ghosh gradually finding himself cornered over time. Many had hoped that the appointment of Samik Bhattacharya as the state BJP president would alter this dynamic. However, the apparent lack of an invitation to the Prime Minister’s rally largely suggests that the once-dominant leader Dilip Ghosh remains sidelined within the BJP. However, the political equation could shift after the Nadda-Ghosh meeting which took place later on Friday.