Unease over BJP government’s cabinet in West Bengal

A week after the formation of the BJP government in West Bengal, a full-fledged cabinet has not been formed. Tensions within the party over the distribution of portfolios are gradually coming to light. According to political circles, this complication has arisen due to differences of opinion between Chief Minister Subhendu Adhikari, the central leadership of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Chief Minister Subhendu Adhikari took oath on May 9 at the Brigade Maidan in Kolkata. Five other BJP MLAs took charge as ministers with him. But almost a week has passed since then. The Chief Minister is still in charge of most of the important portfolios in the state.
Currently, Subhendu Adhikari has to handle the responsibility of about 42 portfolios including Home, Finance, Health, Education, Industries, Agriculture, Transport, Irrigation and Waterways. According to a section of the administrative circles, it is natural for complications to arise in government work if the Chief Minister has so many important portfolios for a long time. According to BJP sources, the remaining portfolios are unlikely to be distributed on Monday. As a result, the second meeting of the cabinet may have to be held with only five ministers.
Of the portfolios that have already been distributed, Dilip Ghosh has been given the responsibility of Panchayat and Rural Development and Agricultural Marketing. Agnimitra Pal has been given the Municipal Affairs and Women and Child Welfare portfolios. Ashok Kirtania is in charge of the Food and Supplies portfolio. Khudiram Chud has been given the responsibility of Scheduled Castes, Tribals and Other Backward Classes Welfare and Minority Development portfolios. Nishit Pramanik has been given the responsibility of the North Bengal Development portfolio. But the main controversy has arisen over important portfolios like Education, Health, Agriculture and Home.
A section of the BJP claims that there is a difference of opinion between the Chief Minister and the Sangh over the responsibility of these portfolios. According to party sources, BJP state president Shamik Bhattacharya recently went to New Delhi to hold discussions with the central leadership. He also has some names he likes for the cabinet. On the other hand, Subhendu Adhikari also wants to make some of his close associates ministers. A section of the party claims that the tension between these two parties has further complicated the situation.
Apart from this, the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is also now at the center of discussion. According to a BJP leader, the Sangh does not consider many of those who have been included in the current cabinet as completely close to them. A section of the party claims that even though Subhendu Adhikari has participated in various programs of the Sangh after joining the BJP, the Sangh leadership still does not see him as a person from their political circle.
In this situation, the Sangh is trying to appoint people of its choice in important departments like education, health and agriculture. It is also being said that the Sangh leadership of the eastern region has conveyed its views to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on this issue. The differences of opinion are particularly evident on the education department. A section of the Sangh wants a leader who believes in Hindutva ideology to be given this responsibility. But those close to Subhendu Adhikari are claiming that the Chief Minister wants to give this responsibility to someone who is administratively skilled and experienced in running the department. According to political observers, this situation is sending an uncomfortable message for the BJP government. Because there are very few examples in West Bengal of important departments remaining vacant for such a long time after the formation of the government. A section of the administrative circle has also expressed concern. According to them, if the department is not distributed quickly, it can affect development work, policy decisions and government administration. However, a BJP MLA said that the problem can be resolved in the next three to four days. However, according to political circles, the tension that has come to the fore over the department distribution can further clarify the internal power equation of the BJP in the coming days.