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BJP sources revealed that the leadership was unhappy with Ghosh’s decision to attend the Jagannath Dham inauguration event and meet Mamata Banerjee.
During their visit to Jagannath Temple in Digha, Ghosh met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (Image: X)
No BJP leader was present during the inauguration of the Jagannath Dham in Digha. However, former BJP state president Dilip Ghosh visited the temple shortly after the ceremony, accompanied by his newly-wed wife. During their visit, Ghosh met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The meeting was cordial, and they were seen exchanging pleasantries, with Mamata warmly welcoming the couple.
Photographs of their interaction quickly circulated in the media, prompting discontent within the BJP. Party sources revealed that the leadership was unhappy with Ghosh’s decision to attend the event and meet Banerjee.
In response to the criticism, Ghosh told the media: “God chooses those who are ideal to do his work. I came here to visit the temple, not to do politics. No one can oppose God. The government organised this program, I was invited, and I came. I believe in the politics of courtesy.”
Despite his clarification, many BJP leaders in Bengal expressed displeasure. State BJP President Sukanta Majumdar commented: “Dilip Ghosh’s visit to Jagannath Dham is his personal decision. The party does not endorsed it. Given the atrocities committed against Hindus here, such a visit appears to ignore the suffering they face.”
Unfazed by the backlash, Ghosh appeared defiant. In what seemed like a veiled attack directed at BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, though he didn’t name him, Ghosh voiced strong opinions during his Thursday morning walk.
“If my son-in-law follows a different party, I won’t stop talking to him. I don’t do that kind of politics. I don’t need lessons from leaders who joined the BJP in 2020 or 2021. These newcomers don’t understand the BJP. Some of them are trying to lecture me about RSS and Hindutva — don’t teach me those things. If you cut my hand, you’ll find Hindu blood. They should remember, during my tenure, BJP had 18 MPs and numerous MLAs. Why can’t the party retain them now? Why are MLAs leaving? I don’t need lectures from anyone,” Ghosh said.
Ghosh and Suvendu Adhikari have long had a strained relationship, and this latest outburst only highlights the ongoing friction.
Since Tuesday, social media has been abuzz with speculation over Ghosh’s loyalty to the BJP. Some users even suggested he might defect to another party. However, Ghosh has firmly denied such claims, reiterating his commitment to the BJP and his roots in the RSS.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leaders took a dig at the BJP. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, “Today in Digha, Dilip Ghosh’s roar overshadowed even the roar of the sea. He launched a scathing attack on a section of the BJP.”
This is not the first time Ghosh has acted independently of the party line. In the past, the BJP’s top leadership has warned him about his controversial remarks. Where this current episode will lead remains to be seen.
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