The BJP’s impressive performance in north Bengal during the recently concluded Assembly elections has been reflected in the organisational appointments in the state Assembly.

The party chose Rathindra Bose, the BJP MLA of Cooch Behar south, for the Speaker’s post. Shankar Ghosh, the Siliguri MLA and tourism minister, has also been assigned the department of Parliamentary affairs.

Now, Amlan Bhaduri, the BJP MLA of the Englishbazar Assembly seat of Malda, a first-time legislator, is likely to be appointed as the chief whip of the ruling party in the Assembly.

The move is being seen as a sign of north Bengal’s growing political importance within the BJP.

If confirmed, Bhaduri will become the first chief whip of a ruling party from north Bengal, much like Bose, who is the first Speaker of the Assembly from the region.

According to BJP insiders, the party’s legislature wing has unanimously approved Bhaduri’s name for the post and forwarded the recommendation to chief minister Suvendu Adhikari for final approval.

The formal clearance is expected by Wednesday.

The BJP had appointed Shankar Ghosh as the chief whip of the opposition in the Assembly in 2021.

Political observers noted that under previous governments led by the Trinamool, Left Front and Congress, the post of chief whip of the ruling party was traditionally reserved for senior legislators, almost always from south Bengal districts.

Senior leaders such as Sovandeb Chattopadhyay and Nirmal Ghosh held the position during Trinamool's tenure.

Veteran CPM leaders, including Rabin Deb, Lakshmikanta Dey, Sachin Sen and Dinesh Majumdar, served as chief whips.

The Congress had entrusted the responsibility to prominent leaders like Ajit Panja and Gyan Singh Sohanpal.

“The chief whip has an important role in the Assembly. The chief whip regulates the duration of speeches by ruling party MLAs, allocates time for ministers during question-answer sessions and finalises the duration of the chief minister’s address in the House,” said a senior politician.

Bhaduri is among the six BJP MLAs elected from Malda. Party workers of the district were reportedly disappointed after Malda received only a minister of state in the cabinet.

BJP supporters believe that Bhaduri’s likely elevation to the chief whip’s post, which is considered equivalent in stature to a cabinet minister, has compensated for that disappointment.

Reacting cautiously to the development, Bhaduri said: “I would be very happy if the party gave me such an important responsibility. If chosen, I would discharge my duties in consultation with the Speaker, the chief minister and other senior legislators.”