Makhanlal Sarkar, aged 98, is widely regarded as one of the earliest grassroots participants associated with the nationalist movement in post-Independence India. In 1952, he was arrested in Kashmir while accompanying Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee during a campaign aimed at hoisting the Indian national flag in the region.
Following the establishment of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980, Sarkar was appointed as an organisational coordinator for West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling districts. Within a year, he reportedly contributed to the enrolment of nearly 10,000 members into the party, significantly strengthening its organisational base in northern West Bengal.
From 1981 onwards, he served continuously for seven years as a district president, a tenure described as a rare achievement at a time when party leaders typically did not retain such organisational positions for more than two years.
West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya recalled that Makhanlal Sarkar was once arrested by the Delhi Police during the Congress administration for singing a nationalist song. According to Bhattacharya, Sarkar refused to tender an apology in court and instead sang the same song before the presiding judge. The judge, in response, reportedly directed that he be issued a first-class train ticket home along with 100 rupees for his journey.
The moment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking blessings from Sarkar highlighted the long historical continuity of political activism within the party and underscored the recognition of veteran leaders who contributed to its early organisational foundations in the state.
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