Amit Shah on Wednesday held a meeting with Dilip Ghosh and three top Bengal BJP leaders — Samik Bhattacharya, Suvendu Adhikari, and Sukanta Majumdar — at a Salt Lake hotel, indicating that Ghosh was set to re-enter the BJP’s organisational work ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The former Bengal BJP chief was completely sidelined by the BJP after he and his wife Rinku met chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the newly launched Jagannath Dham in Digha in April.
"I had come here only to listen. You will come to know about it (his responsibilities in the party) later,” Ghosh told the reporters after the meeting with the Union home minister.
A BJP source said Shah, who would directly supervise the Bengal polls, made it clear in the meeting with the four leaders that there should be no infighting within the party leadership ahead of the crucial election that the BJP is keen on winning.
Ghosh, deemed the most successful state party chief for leading the BJP to an unprecedented 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, caused a major embarrassment to the party after he met Mamata at the Jagannath Dham in Digha.
As soon as photographs of Ghosh and Rinku with Mamata went public, the BJP leadership faced flak from the party’s rank and file. Ghosh had also directly attacked new entrants to the BJP from the Trinamool Congress, which intensified the old-versus-new divide within the BJP.
Since then, Ghosh had almost disappeared from the party’s major events in Bengal, including from rallies addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Now, by meeting Dilip da, Amit ji has made it clear that he will be inducted once again into the party’s action plan for the next year’s Assembly polls. It was also evident that Amit ji wants old and new leaders to work together,” said a senior BJP leader.
Shah also held an elaborate meeting with the BJP MLAs and MPs at the Salt Lake hotel, where he instructed public representatives to be active on the ground till the Assembly poll results were declared.
"Amit ji asked party MLAs to hold at least five meetings in their respective constituencies, besides taking responsibility for one or two adjoining constituencies. He said the party would give tickets to those whose performance is satisfactory,” a source said.
Another source said Shah made it clear that everyone, including MLAs and MPs, must take charge of larger areas, be more active and keep the booth-level organisation vibrant. “He said no stone should be left unturned this time, as victory is at the party’s doorstep. Any laxity will not be allowed now,” the source said.
According to party sources, Shah will continue visiting Bengal frequently and spend two to three nights during each tour to ensure the party overthrows the Mamata Banerjee government by winning as many seats as possible.
“In his three-day visit, it has been established that although multiple leaders from Delhi have been appointed to monitor the Bengal election, the main supervisor will be the Union home minister himself. He will continue visiting Bengal,” a BJP leader said.
Shah on Wednesday also met the party’s rank and file from Calcutta and adjoining areas. Shah will continue holding such meetings with grassroots leaders to address local issues, a source said.
Before leaving for Delhi, Shah offered puja at the Thanthania Kali Bari in Calcutta.
Modi visit plan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Malda in the third week of January. BJP MP Khagen Murmu told reporters that although the actual date of the visit had not been confirmed, Modi was likely to visit the north Bengal district soon.
Modi had been scheduled to visit Ranaghat on December 20 but could not address a public rally as his helicopter failed to land due to dense fog. He addressed the audience through audio message from Calcutta airport before leaving for Assam.