BJP stirs on tea after TMC push

ANIRBAN CHOUDHURY, TT,  Mar 06, 2018 Alipurduar: BJP leaders are rushing to get closed tea gardens in the Dooars reopened to prevent the ruling Trinamul from taking the credit for similar initiatives ahead of the panchayat polls.

In the BJP's sights are gardens owned by the Duncan Goenka Group, four of whose estates reopened recently following Trinamul and state government intervention. A fifth garden, Demdima, is set to resume work on March 9.

BJP leaders, keen to be seen to be doing their bit for tea workers who form a large chunk of voters in the area, say they will try to convince Duncans to reopen two other gardens in Alipurduar, Tulsipara and Lankapara. The company has seven gardens in the district.

There are five other gardens, owned by other firms, lying closed in Alipurduar. Manoj Tigga, the BJP MLA of Birpara-Madarihat, accused Trinamul leaders of "playing politics using the state government and the local administration".

"If the state is so sincere about reopening closed gardens, why is it not working for gardens closed for several years and owned by other companies? We are in touch with officials of Duncans. In fact, we have also found some people ready to take over and run gardens like Lankapara and Tulsipara," Tigga added. Most Duncans' gardens are located in the BJP legislator's constituency.

In 2016, central BJP leaders and Union ministers had promised to reopen the gardens of Duncans, helping Tigga beat his Trinamul rival in the Bengal Assembly elections that year.

"This time, Trinamul does not want the BJP to score again. That is why it has taken the task to reopen these gardens to consolidate its support in the tea belt. BJP leaders have understood the strategy and have become desperate to take the credit," said an observer.

Tigga also accused the state government of apathy over tea wages. "The state is yet to fix the minimum wage for tea workers. Recently, only a paltry rise of Rs 17.50 has been made."

BJP sources said they are exploring options to join hands with tribal organisations in the Dooars tea belt, like the party had done in the Tripura polls recently.

"We have alliance with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. We are trying to join hands with some other organisations of tribals to beat Trinamul in the rural polls," said a BJP leader.

Mohan Sharma, Trinamul's Alipurduar chief, shrugged off the moves.

"The BJP had played politics and duped garden workers and their families. It is a proven fact now. Their leaders and ministers had promised to reopen the closed gardens but it is the state government and our party that took the initiative and got some of the gardens to reopened. BJP leaders will realise after the panchayat polls that tea workers are no longer with them," Sharma said.