BJP's Dilip Ghosh hoists Tricolour upside-down; concedes embarrassment but TMC pounces

In a mix-up, West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh unfurled the Tricolour upside down at a party office in Birbhum district during a Republic Day programme on Tuesday. Immediately after unfurling the national flag at the party's Rampurhat office, Ghosh realised that the Tricolour was upside down with green on top and rectified the mistake by bringing it down and hoisting it properly, a PTI report stated. 

'Not fit to run the country or state': TMC

"It was an embarrassing moment and it happened due to an inadvertent mistake. Nobody had the intention to dishonour the national flag. However, I have asked party members to be careful in the future," Ghosh told reporters.

The ruling TMC, however, did not miss the opportunity to attack the saffron party and said those who can't hoist the national flag properly are unfit to run the country or a state. Reacting to the incident, district TMC chief Anubrata Mondal said, "Those who cannot ensure proper unfurling of the national flag are not fit to run the country or a state."

Meanwhile, amid a spate of defections from the ruling Trinamool Congress to the BJP in West Bengal ahead of the assembly elections, Dilip Ghosh dismissed apprehensions that the turncoats would be given more importance than the old-timers, bringing relief to some of the party's leaders.

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'Need to expand our base': Dilip Ghosh

"Switching political allegiance doesn't always guarantee leadership positions," he said. Ghosh, however, insisted that the party, in order to expand its base and come to power in Bengal, needs to induct people from other political outfits.

"The BJP is a growing force in West Bengal. Our organisation is getting strengthened with each passing day; people from other parties including the TMC are joining us. If we don't take people from other outfits, how will we grow? No matter who joins the camp, I would like to add that everyone has to abide by the rules and regulations of the party. No one is above the party," he said when asked about reports of infighting in certain pockets of the state over the induction of leaders from the TMC.

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(With PTI inputs)