File Photo: BJP President Amit Shah with chief of party's West Bengal unit Rahul Sinha. (Press Trust of India)
A section of BJP leaders today demanded ouster of present West Bengal party president Rahul Sinha and threatened to form a separate outfit if their demand is not met.
Incidentally, the demand has come to fore with less than a month for Mr Sinha's tenure to end as state BJP chief.
State Kisan Morcha vice-president Subhash Sarkar, who had written to BJP national president Amit Shah demanding change of guard in West Bengal leadership soon after the party's debacle in the civic polls held in April, said he will again ask the central leadership to "save the party in Bengal".
"I will again appeal to Amit Shah to change the present state BJP president for someone who is more active and has clean image," he addressed a press conference in Kolkata.
Mr Sarkar, along with Subrata Mukherjee and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh state general secretary S Mishra said if the present state leadership is not changed then they will "look at options of floating a separate outfit".
Recently several BJP leaders including RK Mohanty, who had unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha polls last year, had voiced their concerns over the present party leadership in the state and demanded change.
When contacted, Mr Sinha told PTI that Subhash Sarkar had been suspended from the party long back.
"Others such as RK Mohanty, if they have to say something they can say it to the central leadership."
Asked whether he wished to continue as state BJP president after he completes his tenure this month, Mr Sinha said, "I cannot comment on this matter. It is for the central leadership to decide."
Mr Sinha had come under fire following a series of poll debacles this year. There had been series of protests outside the BJP party office over ticket distribution for Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls.