Speculation is mounting in West Bengal’s political circles over whether senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Dilip Ghosh is set to switch allegiances to the ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC), as the former state BJP president remains cryptic about his plans for 21 July – TMC’s annual Martyrs’ Day rally.
Speaking to reporters, Ghosh today said: “I will be on some platform on 21 July,” a statement that has only intensified speculation. The ambiguity around which “platform” he referred to has sparked fresh debate over his political future, amid reports of his growing disenchantment with the BJP leadership in the state. Once a dominant face of the BJP in West Bengal and a key figure in the party’s rapid rise in the region, Ghosh has been sidelined under the current leadership. Despite having the backing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), he has been kept out of major party events, including recent public meetings attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah. The perceived snub has led to growing tensions between Ghosh and the state BJP leadership. At times, he has publicly criticized the party’s direction, maintaining his image as a maverick. “Kuch farak nahi padta, Dilip is one against a hundred,” he had once quipped, signalling defiance.
Rumours have long swirled about Ghosh floating a new political outfit or aligning with another party. His recent visit to Jagannath temple in Digha further fueled speculation about a potential crossover to the TMC. Some insiders claim a major announcement could be made at the TMC’s 21 July rally. However, political observers are not ruling out the possibility of Ghosh being rehabilitated within the BJP itself.
With Shamik Bhattacharya recently appointed as the new state BJP chief, the party appears to be re-engaging sidelined “original” leaders. Some believe Ghosh could be given a more prominent role to counterbalance the newer leadership. As the countdown to 21 July begins, all eyes remain on Dilip Ghosh — whether he embraces a new political identity or returns to the BJP’s mainstream fold.