BJP Leader of West Bengal Desires To Bifurcate The State?

Recently, a state minister in the central cabinet, accompanied by another member of parliament from West Bengal, met with the Prime Minister and presented a proposal to divide the state into two parts. The rationale behind this proposal is the perceived strong presence of the BJP in northern West Bengal, which could potentially dilute the power of the TMC in the state source says. The BJP has long accused the TMC of neglecting the northern region, and in the last parliamentary elections, the BJP won six out of eight seats in this area. However, Shubhendu Adhikari, a prominent BJP leader in West Bengal, strongly opposed the idea, citing the historical pain of Bengal's previous division in 1905. He emphasized that the people would not forget such a move and would ensure the party's defeat source says. Despite the state minister's argument that the northern part would receive development funds akin to the northeastern states post-bifurcation, Adhikari remained steadfast in advocating for the unity of West Bengal. With both leaders at odds with each other on this issue, it seems unlikely that the proposal will gain support from the Adhikari faction. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee, closely observing the situation, has accused the BJP of attempting to sow division and has warned about the possibility of the state being divided, reflecting the high stakes involved in this proposal source says.