Kolkata, Nov 5 (IANS) The modalities for the formation of the new state committee of the BJP in West Bengal are at the final stage, and the announcement of the new panel is expected to be made by the end of next week.

According to a member of the current state committee of the party in the state, the BJP’s central observer for West Bengal, Sunil Bansal, will hold a meeting with the party’s newly-elected state president and Rajya Sabha member, Samik Bhattacharya, at Kolkata on November 7.

“In that meeting, the list of members in the new state committee will be finalised. Thereafter, Bhattacharya will again go to New Delhi next week with the final list and get the same cleared by the party’s central leadership. Thereafter, the announcement of the new state committee will be made, and in all probability, the announcement will be made at the national Capital,” the state committee member said.

Bhattacharya did not specify the details in the matter but said that he, too, expects the formation of the new state committee and its announcement by the middle of the current month of November.

“Dedicated and active leaders with proven loyalty towards the party are the factors in choosing the members of the new state committee,” he said.

The BJP’s central leadership has stressed that barring a few exceptions, the majority of the members in the new state committee would be organisation-dedicated leaders, whose sole focus will be on strengthening the party rather than contesting elections themselves.

The new state committee will comprise 31 members, and the party’s central leadership has instructed the state unit to ensure that — except for a few exceptions — most members remain focussed solely on organisational work rather than contesting elections.

“Bansal is particularly keen on forming a committee dedicated entirely to strengthening the organisation,” observed a current BJP state committee member, party insiders from the state said.

Exceptions will be made for existing state committee members who have already been elected public representatives and retained in the new line-up.

However, according to a state committee member, the central leadership has made it clear that all new inductees must focus exclusively on organisational activities and refrain from contesting elections.

–IANS

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