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Party insiders say that in several blocks, the BJP’s organisation is either too weak or completely absent, hindering its ability to supply adequate manpower to the poll body.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) had earlier initiated the Bengal SIR process by instructing the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal to prepare the list of booth level agents (BLA) as soon as possible. (Image: PTI File)
In Bihar, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was smoothly conducted, largely thanks to the combined organisational strength of the BJP and JD(U). The BJP-JD(U) alliance managed to provide the Election Commission with the necessary Booth Level Agents (BLAs), resulting in the EC having 1.5 lakh BLAs on the ground, not only from the ruling alliance but also from opposition parties like RJD. These BLAs, representing various political parties, assist booth level officers (BLO) in tasks such as the distribution and collection of enumeration forms and guiding voters.
However, the situation in Bengal is proving to be more challenging for the BJP. While BLA-1s have been earmarked, sources reveal that the BJP has only managed to allocate around 43,000 BLA-2s so far, which is significantly below the required number. Party insiders acknowledge that in several blocks, the BJP’s organisation is either too weak or completely absent, hindering its ability to supply adequate manpower to the poll body. This gap highlights the structural challenges the party faces in Bengal, despite publicly projecting confidence about the upcoming SIR exercise – a crucial step according to its national leadership for a fair Bengal assembly election.
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Although BJP sources are optimistic about appointing approximately 70,000 BLA-2s in the state, this would require forcing BJP’s booth presidents – a vital electoral position during elections – to participate in the SIR. The BJP is concerned that this could overwhelm their booth presidents with too many responsibilities.
This reality check comes after Sunil Bansal, BJP’s National General Secretary and West Bengal In-charge, urged the party to use its network of Booth Level Agents to monitor BLOs, who are mostly state government employees. Bansal made this recommendation while addressing BJP leadership at the National Library recently.
The Bengal BJP claims to have dedicated teams responsible for nominating BLAs. Keya Ghosh, Bengal BJP’s media Co-Incharge, stated, “We are aware of the crooked means of the ruling party, and that is why our teams are there to ensure the safety of our cadres who will be working as BLAs.” However, when asked about the mismatch between the demand and supply ratio of BLAs, which was not an issue in the recent SIR exercise in Bihar, Ghosh responded, “We face problems in certain minority-dominated areas. For instance, ED officials were not spared when they attempted to arrest Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali. Imagine trying to run an organisation and grow in areas where even ED officials aren’t safe.”
The Election Commission of India (ECI) had earlier initiated the Bengal SIR process by instructing the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal to prepare the list of booth level agents (BLA) as soon as possible. ECI Under Secretary Sanjay Kumar emphasised the importance of active participation by political parties and their BLAs in the SIR activities in his communication to Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal.
In a recent development, Subhasish Chakraborty, a former Trinamool Congress MP, challenged the Election Commission’s decision to seek information on Booth Level Agents nearly a year before the West Bengal Assembly elections. His counsel has sought an urgent hearing in the Calcutta High Court regarding this matter.
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Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in …Read More
Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in … Read More
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