Days after expressing his displeasure with BJP officials Suvendu Adhikari and Dilip Ghosh on social media, the party’s state youth wing president Saumitra Khan apologised publicly for his statements and promised to intensify the opposition against the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Since his postings on Facebook aroused concerns in his party, the MP from Bengal’s Bishnapur had kept a low profile. He had resigned as BJYM president only to retract it later at the request of the central leadership.
Mr. Khan, during the party’s youth wing meeting on Sunday, said “making a statement on Facebook was a blunder on my part”.
“I am hereby offering an apology, seeking your forgiveness. I shouldn’t have made such a comment on social media,” he said in his address to the two leaders as party members clapped.
Slamming the TMC over alleged post-poll violence in Bengal, he contended that the death of leaders such as Manish Shukla will not go in vain.
Manish Shukla, a local leader from Titagarh in the North 24 Parganas district, was gunned down in October last year.
“If the TMC can secure 211 assembly constituencies, why can’t we bag 250 seats in the future? We need to move forward, those who can lead the party will take charge,” he added.
Taking to Facebook earlier this month, Saumitra Khan had said, “One particular leader was making frequent trips to Delhi and claiming credit for every success of the party.”
“The leader of opposition in the state (Suvendu Adhikari) should look in the mirror. He is misleading the top brass in New Delhi. He considers himself the tallest leader of the party in Bengal,” he had claimed.
In a dig at the state BJP president, the disgruntled leader had said, “He understands only half of what happens. He cannot comprehend all of it.”
On Sunday, Mr Khan was seen sitting next to Dili Ghosh, exchanging jokes with him.
“Saumitra Khan is an emotional person. I harbour no ill feelings for him. He will continue to lead the yuva morcha,” Dilip Ghosh later told reporters.
