Dilip Ghosh (File photo) KOLKATA: Former Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh escalated tensions within the party after Wednesday’s meeting with Union minister Amit Shah, questioning the electoral utility of “mandir-masjid politics” and taking veiled digs at “recent entrants” to the state unit.”Mandir-masjid issues do not impact poll results,” Ghosh said Thursday, citing BJP’s loss in Faizabad LS constituency in 2024 despite Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He said it would be “wrong to assume” Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee could win 2026 assembly polls by building temples.Without naming anyone, Ghosh said, “Everyone is a worker in BJP. Recent entrants have to prove their identity.” The remark was widely read as a swipe at politicians who joined from TMC before 2021 assembly polls.Ghosh met state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and sought permission to campaign for three days in Kharagpur from Saturday, saying he wanted to contest his home seat in 2026 assembly polls. He also spoke openly about being sidelined: “Baseless, agenda-driven theories were floated and I was isolated. I have told the central brass this. I am not afraid of getting lost. I have faith in them.”Modi, Shah, Nadda in Bengal this monthPM Narendra Modi will likely hold a rally in north Bengal in the third week of Jan and Union home minister Amit Shah is expected to visit Kolkata by the end of the month. Union minister and BJP former chief JP Nadda is also scheduled to visit the city on Jan 8, said sources.About the AuthorRohit KhannaRohit Khanna covers sectors like government finance, economy, industry and issues related to financial crime.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCongress Leader Nana Patole’s ‘Rahul Like Ram’ Remark Sparks Row; BJP Hits BackWest Bengal SIR Brings Home A Man Presumed Dead For 28 Years In UP’s MuzaffarnagarIndia And Pakistan Exchange List Of Nuclear Installations Under 1988 Agreement‘Vote Theft In Bengal’: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee Slams ECI Over SIR, BJP Fires Back180 Kmph While You Sleep! India’s Latest Vande Bharat Sleeper Marks New Era. Check Fares, FeaturesBJP Leader Attacks Shah Rukh Khan Over KKR’s Bangladeshi Cricketer Amid Hindu Lynching in BangladeshRajnath Singh Links Lord Ram’s Ethics To Operation Sindoor, Says India Fought Terror With DignityCleanliness Crown Cracks As Indore Loses 13 Lives To Poisoned Water And Administrative Lapses’India Belongs To Everyone’: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat After Tripura Student Dies In Racial AttackIndia’s Silent Warriors On Kartavya Path Bring Army’s Battle-Tested Animals To Republic Day Parade123PhotostoriesHow to make Banana Almond Cake in a pressure cookerVande Bharat Sleeper Train Launch Soon On This Route! Indian Railways’ New Train Better Than Rajdhani – Check Photos, Ticket Price & Top 10 Facts10 iconic dishes the Mughals gave to IndiaCalcium isn’t enough: The bone mineral women forgetKidney damage: 10 symptoms of kidney problems people mistake for dehydration3 bitter truths about packaged foods you didn’t knowInside ‘Bigg Boss 19’ fame Ashnoor Kaur’s tech-savvy Mumbai homeFrom Arjun Tendulkar-Saaniya Chandhok to Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce: 5 most-anticipated celebrity weddings of 2026How to make Hara Bhara Kebab for evening snackingTV celebs like Ashnoor Kaur, Hina Khan are welcoming 2026 with open arms in unique ways; here’s how – See Inside123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant
KOLKATA: Former Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh escalated tensions within the party after Wednesday’s meeting with Union minister Amit Shah, questioning the electoral utility of “mandir-masjid politics” and taking veiled digs at “recent entrants” to the state unit.“Mandir-masjid issues do not impact poll results,” Ghosh said Thursday, citing BJP’s loss in Faizabad LS constituency in 2024 despite Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He said it would be “wrong to assume” Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee could win 2026 assembly polls by building temples.Without naming anyone, Ghosh said, “Everyone is a worker in BJP. Recent entrants have to prove their identity.” The remark was widely read as a swipe at politicians who joined from TMC before 2021 assembly polls.Ghosh met state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and sought permission to campaign for three days in Kharagpur from Saturday, saying he wanted to contest his home seat in 2026 assembly polls. He also spoke openly about being sidelined: “Baseless, agenda-driven theories were floated and I was isolated. I have told the central brass this. I am not afraid of getting lost. I have faith in them.”Modi, Shah, Nadda in Bengal this monthPM Narendra Modi will likely hold a rally in north Bengal in the third week of Jan and Union home minister Amit Shah is expected to visit Kolkata by the end of the month. Union minister and BJP former chief JP Nadda is also scheduled to visit the city on Jan 8, said sources.
