A large contingent of BJP MLAs from north Bengal will be visiting Delhi to meet Union ministers with a slew of proposals for development projects for the region with an eye on the 2026 Bengal Assembly elections.

This is the first time that the BJP will be sending most of its MLAs from north Bengal to Delhi at one go. The region has 25 BJP MLAs.

Shankar Ghosh, the BJP MLA of Siliguri Assembly constituency and also the chief whip of the party in the state Assembly, said they were currently preparing the list
of projects.

“It has been decided that a group of BJP MLAs from north Bengal will soon visit Delhi and meet several central ministers. During the meeting, we will highlight various projects that were never considered so far for north Bengal,” Ghosh said.

A source in the BJPs Siliguri organisational district said the initiative was planned last month during Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s visit to Calcutta.

“The minister suggested that the BJP MLAs prepare a list of projects and meet the respective ministers in Delhi,” said the source.

Some of the projects shortlisted for the region by the BJP MLAs include establishing a central university, an AIIMS hospital, proposals to upgrade tourism, road and sports infrastructure and highlight the issues of the tea industry.

“Without the central government’s assistance, these projects cannot be implemented in the region. We want to highlight these issues during our proposed visit,” said Ghosh.

Over the past couple of years, the Union government has started mega projects including upgrading the Bagdogra airport and New Jalpaiguri railway station along with the expansion of highways.

Over the past couple of days, the BJP legislators have been repeatedly raking up the alleged lack of development by the state government in north Bengal.

Anandamoy Barman, the BJP MLA from Matigara-Naxalbari Assembly constituency, said their visit is scheduled after the budget session ends later this month.

“We are waiting for the current budget session to end. The BJP delegation will visit Delhi around this month-end,” said Barman.

Vedabrata Dutta, the spokesperson of Trinamul’s Darjeeling district committee (plains), accused the BJP of trying to cover their “non-performance” with theatrics as there was only a little more than a year left for Assembly polls.