Bengal BJP expels 5 Alipurduar leaders over worker assault, anti-party acts
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Alipurduar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) district unit has expelled five party office bearers following allegations of anti-party activities and involvement in the assault on BJP workers in front of the Kamakhyaguri police station in West Bengal. The decision was announced on Saturday, 17 October 2026, by Alipurduar BJP district president Mithu Das at a press conference, marking a decisive crackdown on internal dissent within the district unit.
Who Was Expelled
The five expelled leaders are Sunil Mahato, a district secretary; Debesh Barman, general secretary of Kumargram No. 3 mandal; and Dilip Pandey, convenor of Kumargram No. 2 region. Also expelled are Rajesh Chhetri, president of Kalchini No. 1 mandal, and Ratan Roy, a district executive member. All five have been held accountable for alleged violations of party discipline, according to Das.
The Incident That Triggered Action
The expulsions follow a controversy that erupted a few days prior, when allegations surfaced that BJP workers were assaulted in front of the Kamakhyaguri police station in Alipurduar district. Reports indicate that several party leaders were allegedly involved in or linked to the incident, which was attributed to internal conflicts within the local BJP unit. The episode caused significant tension across political circles in Alipurduar.
Bhattacharya's Zero-Tolerance Directive
The district leadership's move is being seen as consistent with a broader disciplinary drive initiated by West Bengal BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya, who has reportedly issued repeated instructions to party units at all levels that misconduct, arrogance, and indiscipline will not be tolerated. Mithu Das made it clear at the press conference that no disorder would be permitted within the party, and that the expulsions were a direct consequence of Bhattacharya's directives.
Expelled Leaders Yet to Respond
As of the time of this report, none of the five expelled office bearers had issued any public statement or reacted to the allegations levelled against them. The district BJP unit has not indicated whether any further action against other individuals is being considered. This is the first batch of expulsions from the Alipurduar unit in the current disciplinary cycle, and political observers in the district will be watching closely for any fallout or counter-reaction from the expelled leaders' camps.