Chandra Kumar Bose, grandson of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, on Sunday criticized the BJP, accusing the party of “dividing communities in favor of vote bank politics”.
Speaking to ANI after joining the TMC, Chandra Kumar Bose equated the BJP with the British Raj, accusing them of bringing religion into politics, a policy he said was opposed by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
“The BJP opposes the Constitution because its one-point agenda is divide and rule, dividing communities for the sake of vote bank politics. As for the British, their policy is divide and rule. The BJP is practicing the same politics as the British. They are bringing religion into politics, a policy that was strongly opposed by my grandfather, Sarat Chandra Bose, and his younger brother, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose,” he said.
“I cannot accept the BJP’s way of thinking… I decided to leave, and did not immediately join any party… I found that the TMC was coming close to following a comprehensive secular ideology,” he added.
Chandra Kumar Bose had resigned from the BJP in September 2023, ending his nine-year association with the party, citing ideological differences.
Bose expressed confidence in the Trinamool Congress’ victory in the West Bengal elections.
“We are holding state elections in Bengal. The TMC will surely emerge victorious… The TMC has a much greater responsibility to unite the nation… All like-minded parties must come together to implement the concept of being a ‘Bharatiya’; only then will we survive… I am not an astrologer, but for sure, Mamata Banerjee will win,” he said.
West Bengal is scheduled to hold two phases of assembly elections on April 23 and 29, with the results to be announced on May 4.
The upcoming elections come on the heels of the 2021 battle, in which the Transitional Military Council won 213 seats. However, the BJP’s growth from a minor player to 77 seats in the last session has set the stage for the current high-stakes standoff.
