Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday attributed the party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal to lack of support from the minority community, asserting that 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' was unnecessary and proposing instead 'Hum unke saath jo humare saath' (we are with those who are with us).
Addressing the extended session of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s state executive committee, Adhikari dismissed the need for a Minority Morcha of the party.
Later, he clarified that his comments had been taken out of context and asserted that he embodies in letter and spirit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas'.
While addressing the session, Adhikari said, "I have spoken for nationalist Muslims as well. We all used to say 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', but I would not say this anymore because I think it should be 'Hum unke saath jo humare saath' (we are with those who are with us)... no need for Minority Morcha."
The minorities in West Bengal, constituting nearly 30 per cent of the electorate, helped the Trinamool Congress sweep minority-dominated pockets in southern West Bengal in the Lok Sabha polls, whereas the division of the community's vote between the Left-Congress alliance and the TMC in north Bengal helped the BJP score in several seats in the region, according to political observers.
In 2014, the BJP's slogan was 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', and in 2019, it was 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas'.
Adhikari claimed that during the Lok Sabha polls, "Hindus were not allowed to vote by jihadi goons of the TMC in many areas."
"In West Bengal, free and fair elections are not possible. The jihadi goons of the TMC will not allow it. Free and fair elections are only possible by implementing the Disturbed Areas Act in the state. We don't want to capture power in the state through backdoor implementation of President's rule.
"We will come to power when we win elections with the people's mandate. But for that, free and fair elections have to be ensured," he said.
Later, when his remarks triggered a controversy, Adhikari, in a post on X, said he doesn't believe in dividing people on the basis of majority and minority.
"My statement is being taken out of context. I am clear that those who are nationalists stand for this nation and West Bengal, we should be with them. Those who don't stand with us, work against the interest of the nation and West Bengal, we need to expose them.
"Also, like Mamata Banerjee, we shouldn't divide people into majority and minority and see them as Indians. I embody in letter and spirit, the Prime Minister's call for 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas'," he posted on X.
While talking to reporters, Adhikari said his comments were not against any community.
"My comments were not against any community. In this Lok Sabha election, there are few realisations, one that despite not having a level playing ground as TMC has unleashed a reign of terror, the BJP has emerged as its main challenger. The second realisation is that Muslims in West Bengal don't vote for the BJP," he said.
"The third realisation is that the CPI-M has helped the TMC in splitting the Hindu votes. So the Hindus in West Bengal should be aware that if they don't unite they won't exist in West Bengal in future," he said.
When asked about his remarks that the party should do away with 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' slogan, Adhikari said his remarks were meant for "political reasons".
"My comments were not meant for administrative purposes but for political reasons. I believe that administratively, it should be 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. In West Bengal, during the 2021 assembly polls, 91 per cent of the Muslims had voted for the TMC and in 2024, that percentage went up to 95," he said.
The extended session of the BJP state executive committee comes after the party lost three assembly seats to the TMC in last week's by-elections, marking another disappointment for the saffron party following its poor performance in the parliamentary elections, in which its tally fell to 12 from 18 in 2019.
Reacting to Adhikari's remark, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, "BJP is trying to find excuses to pacify their own cadre base following the Lok Sabha debacle in the state."
