Infighting in BJP escalates as more posters target Kolkata's District President over alleged bribery

Infighting within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over district president appointments is escalating, with another poster targeting Kolkata South district president Anupam Bhattacharya surfacing in the city. After being spotted in central Kolkata yesterday, a similar poster appeared near Parnashree Rabindranagar Bus Stand today. The poster alleges that party positions in the district can be secured in exchange for money, cars, and mobile phones. It reads, "Give money, car, mobile—secure a position in South Kolkata BJP." The message also lists contact details of the district president and general secretary and is signed "Courtesy: South Kolkata BJP Workers."

Anupam Bhattacharya has denied BJP’s involvement in the posters and accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of attempting to create unrest ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. "We have seen the posters. This is definitely the work of TMC. BJP performed well in most wards in the Lok Sabha elections, and with the 2026 elections approaching, they are scared," Bhattacharya stated. BJP's South Kolkata district general secretary Jitendra Singh, also named in the posters, has not commented on the matter.

Discontent within the BJP over leadership appointments has been growing since the recent reshuffling of district and mandal presidents. Several party workers have expressed dissatisfaction with the selection process, with allegations that experienced workers were overlooked. BJP’s former Behala Paschim-5 Mandal president and youth leader Dibyendu Samanta criticized Bhattacharya, stating, "BJP officials rise through the ranks by working at the booth level, but Anupam Bhattacharya has no such record." He also claimed that party participation in South Kolkata has declined under Bhattacharya’s leadership.

The emergence of repeated posters highlights ongoing tensions within the party’s state unit. While the BJP leadership has dismissed the controversy as an external ploy, internal opposition to district-level leadership changes continues. With only a year left before the 2026 Assembly elections, resolving these conflicts remains a challenge.