BJP leaders held an emergency meeting in Alipurduar in an apparent move to keep their flock together after district president Ganga Prasad Sharma joined the Trinamul Congress in Calcutta on Monday.

Nikhil Ranjan Dey, BJP observer for north Bengal, presided over the emergency meeting which was attended by four MLAs from Alipurduar — the fifth party MLA Manoj Tigga is in Calcutta — and Alipurduar MP John Barla.

Dey said the state leaders had directed him to hold the meeting with Alipurduar district leaders. “ I will propose the names of three leaders to be selected as the next district chief.”