With the West Bengal Assembly elections now less than three months away, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a significant organizational step by announcing a reconstituted team of state office bearers. The move comes six months after Samik Bhattacharya was appointed as the president of the party's state unit.
A Committee Formed on the Eve of Nadda's Visit
The announcement of the new 34-member team was made on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, strategically timed on the eve of BJP national president JP Nadda's scheduled two-day visit to Kolkata. While the party leadership had initially aimed to finalize this committee before the Durga Puja festivities, internal deliberations reportedly caused delays.
The finalized list presents a blend of experience and fresh energy, though it contained no major unexpected inclusions or exclusions. The committee is structured with 12 vice-presidents, five general secretaries, 12 secretaries, one treasurer, two joint treasurers, one office secretary, and one joint office secretary.
Key Appointments and Notable Omissions
Among the notable appointments, several new faces have been elevated to the post of vice-president. These include MLAs Agnimitra Pal and Jagannath Chatterjee, who were previously general secretaries, as well as MLA Deepak Barman and Manoj Tigga. In a move perceived within party circles as an honor with limited operational control, recent Trinamool Congress (TMC) defector Tapas Roy and former Union Minister of State Nisith Pramanik have also been named vice-presidents.
A significant point of discussion is the omission of former state unit chief Dilip Ghosh from the state committee. This decision stands despite recent public signals from the central leadership about involving Ghosh in the upcoming election campaign. His absence marks a clear shift in the formal organizational structure.
The team of five general secretaries sees only Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato and Locket Chatterjee retaining their positions. The three new general secretaries are Bishnupur MP Soumitra Khan, Kolkata-based leader Shashi Agnihotri, and Bapi Goswami from north Bengal. This trio represents a mix of the party's old RSS-rooted cadre and newer post-2019 inductees.
Strategic Composition for Election Season
The list of 12 secretaries includes Shankar Ghosh, the party's chief whip in the Assembly, who was recently attacked by a mob during a visit to landslide-affected areas in north Bengal. Other secretaries appointed are Dipanjan Guha, Sonali Murmu, Manoj Pandey, Amlan Bhaduri, Mahadev Sarkar, Sintu Senapati, Sharvari Mukherjee, Mohan Sharma, Bibha Majumdar, and Sanjay Verma.
In parallel appointments for the party's frontal organizations, Malda West MP Khagen Murmu, who was seriously injured in a mob attack in Jalpaiguri last September, has been made the chief of the state Scheduled Tribe Morcha. Dr. Indranil Khan continues to lead the youth wing, while Falguni Patra heads the Mahila Morcha. Rajiv Bhowmik, Shubhendu Sarkar, and Sujit Biswas will lead the Kisan Morcha, OBC Morcha, and SC Morcha, respectively.
According to insights from senior party leaders, the composition of the new committee is a deliberate strategic mix. It aims to balance veterans with new entrants while ensuring that leaders who are likely to be busy campaigning as candidates themselves are not burdened with heavy organizational responsibilities. "This is the new strategy," explained a senior leader, indicating a focused approach to the high-stakes electoral battle ahead.
The formation of this team sets the stage for the BJP's final push in West Bengal, as it seeks to mount a formidable challenge in the upcoming Assembly polls.
