Dilip to skip rally to avoid ‘seating row'
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Kolkata:
BJP
's former national vice-president
Dilip Ghosh
will not attend PM Narendra Modi's rally in Durgapur on Friday. Even a day earlier, Ghosh said he was willing to listen to Modi's speech.
"I am not attending the rally on Friday. There will be specific seating arrangements as directed by the Prime Minister's Office. My seating position might lead to unnecessary discussions and speculations. I don't want to disturb the PM's rally due to that," he said.
Ghosh was unsure of attending the rally since Thursday morning and said that he was assessing the situation. "I cannot say who will be present on the dais.
It is up to the PMO to decide. However, I am willing to listen to the PM's speech. There is still time," he said.
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Sources close to Ghosh, who is not even a lawmaker now, said the Bengal BJP senior decided not to attend the rally on Thursday evening. "There is a definite protocol from the PMO regarding the presence of netas on the dais. Apart from state president Samik Bhattacharya, leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar will remain present on the dais.
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If Ghosh attends the rally, he might be asked to sit among other party functionaries and office-bearers.
He wanted to avoid the controversy," said a Bengal BJP functionary.
State BJP netas, however, refused to read much into Ghosh's absence. "He might organise a party meeting at Midnapore on July 21 and address people against Trinamool and the state administration," a Bengal BJP functionary said.
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