'Let People Choose First': West Bengal BJP President On Party's CM Face

Kolkata: West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya reiterated the party's policy of fighting the assembly elections without a Chief Minister face and deciding on it after reviewing the mandate of the people. Speaking with ANI, Samik Bhattacharya asserted that the same strategy will also be followed in West Bengal, adding that the party is now completely focused on securing a majority against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress.

"We don't fight elections by projecting a Chief Minister's face. Let the people choose first, then the party's high command will decide. For now, our focus is on victory," he said. Samik Bhattacharya exuded confidence in a comfortable BJP victory, believing that the public stands with the party.

"When it comes to numbers, people know the magic figure, and we've already crossed it. Where the tally finally stops will be revealed later, but one thing is sure: the BJP is coming with a comfortable majority, and this time we are forming the government," he said.
He further asserted that Mamata Banerjee will be "gone" on May 4, the election result day, ending what he said was "fifteen years of suffering" of West Bengal.

"4th May, Didi's gone, ending fifteen years of suffering. From Gangotri to Gangasagar, the BJP government is rising. The public has already set the pace. This election is not just BJP vs TMC, it is also People vs TMC," he said. Speaking on the issue of illegal immigration in the state, Samik Bhattacharya cornered the state government, accusing them of not allocating land to the Centre for the required fencing across the borders.

"The Bangladesh border stretches over 2,200 km, including rivers and water bodies, and 562 km is still unfenced. Without land allocation, joint action by Central and State agencies, public awareness, and political consensus, stopping infiltrators will remain impossible. Unless the nation stands united, trespassers will keep slipping through, and the challenge of securing Bengal's frontier will only grow," he said.

The remarks come amid intensified political exchanges between the BJP and TMC ahead of the upcoming electoral cycle in West Bengal. West Bengal is set for two phases of assembly polls on April 23 and 29, with the results set for May 4. The upcoming elections follow the 2021 battle, where the TMC secured a landslide 213 seats. However, the BJP's growth from a minor player to 77 seats in the last cycle has set the stage for the current high-stakes confrontation.

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