Amit Shah removes Bengal party chief Rahul Sinha, appoints Dilip Ghosh as new chief

KOLKATA: Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah has removed the party's Bengal unit president Rahul Sinha, and appointed Dilip Ghosh as the new president. Sinha has been made BJP's national secretary.

Sinha's detractors were lobbying with the party's national leadership for his removal before next year's Assembly elections in the state which the central leadership agreed to in an effort to quell the dissenting notes. The leadership also handed the job to Ghosh, who is seen to be very close to the RSS.

BJP had got about 18% of the total votes polled in Bengal during last year's parliamentary elections, but couldn't retain its vote share in all the elections held in the state in the past one and a half years. The party could not win a single assembly by-election which took place after the last Lok Sabha polls, and didn't do well in the civic polls held in October this year either.

Several state and district leaders had been vocal in their criticism against Sinha, alleging that party tickets were distributed in exchange of money. Dissident BJP leaders also threatened to hold hunger strike at the party headquarters demanding his removal.

Sensing that trouble within the party over the Sinha issue might impact the party's chances in next year's Assembly elections, the central leadership quickly moved in and replaced him with Ghosh.