Shaheed Dweep, July 11: In a politically charged visit to Shaheed Dweep, BJP State President Anil Tiwari interacted with party workers and welcomed six new members into the fold, including a serving ward member from the Congress. The move signals a continuing push by the BJP to strengthen its grassroots base in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands ahead of the local election cycle.
Tiwari, accompanied by South Andaman District President Mohan Halder and party leader Selva Kumar, was greeted by a crowd of karyakartas at the island jetty. The delegation held a brief interaction at the local BJP office, where party workers reiterated their commitment to expanding BJP’s reach across island panchayats.
Addressing the gathering, Tiwari stressed the need for internal cohesion and grassroots energy, calling on party members to work towards improving conditions for the socially and economically underprivileged communities of Shaheed Dweep. He stated that the BJP’s strength lies in its connection to the last worker and its responsiveness to local concerns.
In a development that caught political attention, six Congress workers formally joined the BJP during the event. Among them was Tiru Selvam, a sitting ward member from Neil Kendra Panchayat, whose defection marks a notable shift in the island’s local political dynamics. The others who switched sides include Dasharath Debnath, Dr. Bhagirath Debnath, Govind Mallick, Narayan Das, and Bidhan Biswas.
Each of the new entrants was welcomed by the BJP leadership with party scarves and introductions, signaling a consolidation of support in the region. Tiwari expressed confidence that their induction would inject new energy into the BJP’s village-level organizational network.
While no public reasons were cited for the defections, sources close to the development say the shift was driven by dissatisfaction with local Congress leadership and growing interest in BJP’s development-oriented agenda. With panchayat elections on the horizon, the BJP is expected to capitalise on such transitions to position itself as a more viable alternative at the local governance level.
Shaheed Dweep, historically a politically active region, has seen fluctuating loyalties in previous election cycles. The presence of a sitting panchayat member among the new BJP inductees could influence alignments in the upcoming elections, particularly in key wards.
The visit is being viewed as part of a broader outreach strategy by the BJP leadership to tighten its organisational framework in rural and island segments. Over the past few months, senior party functionaries have increased their frequency of field visits, with a focus on volunteer training, membership drives, and resolving ground-level issues.
According to party insiders, the Andaman unit has identified Shaheed Dweep and nearby areas as politically strategic zones where BJP can make further gains if the local organisational structure remains active and responsive. With the latest additions to the party, the leadership is expected to intensify its local presence in the coming weeks.
Tiwari’s visit ended with informal discussions among district-level workers, where plans were drawn up for upcoming door-to-door outreach campaigns and youth engagement initiatives. While no major policy announcements were made, the visit reaffirmed BJP’s ongoing investment in expanding its rural base and integrating defectors into the party fold without delay.
As political activity picks up pace across the islands, defections like these are likely to continue shaping the pre-election narrative, one local panchayat, one ward at a time.
