leader Dilip Ghosh was conspicuous by his absence from the BJP's organisational meeting, in which Union Home Minister Amit Shah was present, here on Sunday.This was the second time in less than a week when the ex-MP and former state BJP chief was absent from a programme of a top BJP leader, the other being the public meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Alipurduar in northern West Bengal on May 29.

Ghosh had met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the inauguration of the newly built Jagannath Temple in Purba Medinipur's Digha, which triggered a major row as several BJP leaders accused him of cosying up to the TMC supremo and betraying the sentiments of party rank and file.

Though Ghosh had maintained that he had every right to visit a place of worship and none could question his integrity and credentials as a BJP loyalist, the controversy refused to die down and the former state unit president was not invited to any programme of the party later on.

"No, I have not been invited to Amit ji's programme on June 1. It doesn't matter. There are some people who are always seen with party heavyweights. When I was the state president, I used to accompany leaders like Amit ji to their programmes. Now, I would rather be with the party rank and file and work with the karyakartas," he told reporters on Saturday.

Before Modi's public meeting on May 29, Ghosh had similarly said he was not invited by the state BJP leadership.On Sunday, Ghosh, accompanied by his wife Rinku Majumdar, went to his in-laws' residence.Speaking to reporters there, he said, "It is not mandatory or essential to invite me to every meeting. I may be invited to some meeting and may not be to some others."

Asked about Ghosh's absence from key party programmes, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar told reporters, "Dilip da is a veteran leader. I can't really comment on his absence." PTI SUS ACD