BJP West Bengal Revamps State Committee Ahead of 2026 Polls, Reinstates Muslim Leader

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In a strategic move ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) West Bengal unit has announced a new state committee. The revamp includes the reinstatement of Ali Hossain, the party's sole Muslim state office-bearer, who was removed four years ago. Hossain, a seasoned leader, has expressed his determination to work hard in the coming months and prove that there are many Muslim voters who share strong nationalist feelings. The new committee boasts a mix of fresh faces and experienced leaders, including former Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister Tapas Roy, who joined the BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Roy has been appointed as one of the 12 state vice-presidents. Malda North Lok Sabha MP Khagen Murmu has also been reinstated as president of the scheduled tribe (ST) morcha. The reshuffle is seen as a move to consolidate the party's position ahead of the upcoming polls. State office-bearers have indicated that the new committee represents a shift away from factionalism, with no inductions that may spark rebellion. The presence of leaders with a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) background is also notable, with Debjit Sarkar being appointed as the state unit's chief spokesperson. However, some former leaders, including Sayantan Basu and Ritesh Tiwari, who were dropped from the state committee in 2021, have expressed their desire to contest the upcoming polls. Basu and Tiwari were part of the party's leadership but were suspended for speaking against the party leadership. The Trinamool Congress has chosen not to comment on the reshuffle, calling it an internal matter for the BJP.