Amit Shah: CM face for BJP in Bengal not yet decided, party will win two-thirds majority & form govt in 2021

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that a “chief minister face” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the coming Assembly elections of 2021 in West Bengal had not yet been decided by the party.

Speaking to a national television channel, Shah said that the BJP will win two-thirds majority in Bengal in the coming Assembly elections and form the government. At an internal meeting with BJP leaders in Bankura, Shah said the target for the party should be to win 200 Assembly seats out of the total 294 seats. At the interview, Shah said that people should wait and see who becomes the CM, and no name had yet been finalised by the party.

Asked if a senior minister in the West Bengal cabinet will join the BJP, the Union Home Minister said that he had not spoken with the said leader so far. The minister in question is Subhendu Adhikary, state transport minister, who is rumoured to be upset with CM Mamata Banerjee and according to wild speculations, may likely join the BJP. The rumours have stemmed from the fact that Adhikary has stayed away from state government and Trinamool Congress programmes in the recent past.

Answering a question, Amit Shah said he was worried about the recent arrests of alleged Al-Qaeda terrorists from Murshidabad district, and that the Centre is “keeping an eye” on the law and order situation in Bengal. He said that the “state is not cooperating enough” to fight terror and to ensure the safety and security of the region. While he did not commit any clear answer on whether he was in favour of imposing President’s rule in Bengal as was being demanded by the Bengal BJP, he reiterated (like he has done in the recent past) that the demand is “justified”.