Dilip Ghosh was on Thursday elected unopposed as the president of the BJP’s Bengal unit for the second consecutive four-year term, shortly before he has advised his critics to raise “endurance” levels as he will intensify his vitriol in the days to come.

As none had filed nominations for the post, the Midnapore MP’s re-election was just a formality. Ghosh’s second term has come after his communally charged remarks were condemned even by state BJP leaders.

“There are some criticising me for things I say. The time has come for the BJP in Bengal. Gone are the days when others would speak and we would listen. Now, we will speak and they will listen,” he said.

Ghosh, who had been unapologetic about virtually everything he or the party had been criticised for since his ascent to the helm four years ago, started his second term dismissing critics.

“If they really believe that… Dilip Ghosh will have sweet things to say, they are terribly mistaken. Going forward, they should increase their ability for endurance because I will only say more kathor (harsh) things now,” the Midnapore MP said.

He also said: “My responsibility is to keep fighting till the BJP forms the government here,” Ghosh said after the re-lection.

Sources in a section of state BJP leaders who were opposed to Ghosh said his re-election signalled that the party would persist with “hardline Hindutva” ahead of the Bengal Assembly polls in 2021.

“The national leadership retained him because he manages to get under the skin of the ruling dispensation and has been a major crowd-puller with his controversial speeches. An old RSS hand, Ghish is trusted by the leadership to keep pushing hardline Hindutva here,” said a state BJP functionary.

“The national leadership wants him to pull no punches in taking on the Trinamul Congress, irrespective of how jarring his narrative often gets to Bengal sensibilities,” he added.