'Mandir-masjid' issues do not sway elections: Dilip Ghosh

KOLKATA: Former Bengal BJP main Dilip Ghosh escalated tensions wrong the enactment aft Wednesday's gathering with Union curate Amit Shah, questioning the electoral inferior of "mandir-masjid politics" and taking veiled digs astatine "recent entrants" to the authorities unit."Mandir-masjid issues bash not interaction canvass results," Ghosh said Thursday, citing BJP's nonaccomplishment successful Faizabad LS constituency successful 2024 contempt Ram Mandir successful Ayodhya. He said it would beryllium "wrong to assume" Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee could triumph 2026 assembly polls by gathering temples.Without naming anyone, Ghosh said, "Everyone is simply a idiosyncratic successful BJP. Recent entrants person to beryllium their identity." The remark was wide work arsenic a swipe astatine politicians who joined from TMC earlier 2021 assembly polls.Ghosh met authorities BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and sought support to run for 3 days successful Kharagpur from Saturday, saying helium wanted to contention his location spot successful 2026 assembly polls. He besides spoke openly astir being sidelined: "Baseless, agenda-driven theories were floated and I was isolated. I person told the cardinal brass this. I americium not acrophobic of getting lost. I person religion successful them."Modi, Shah, Nadda successful Bengal this monthPM Narendra Modi volition apt clasp a rally successful northbound Bengal successful the 3rd week of Jan and Union location curate Amit Shah is expected to sojourn Kolkata by the extremity of the month. Union curate and BJP erstwhile main JP Nadda is besides scheduled to sojourn the metropolis connected Jan 8, said sources.