Kolkata: Aditya Birla Group is likely to invest more in Bengal and expand its presence across the state. Aditya Birla Group’s chairman, Kumar Mangalam Birla, held an extensive meeting with Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Sunday and is scheduled to meet chief minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna on Monday.After BJP assumed office, Bhattacharya wrote a letter to Birla requesting that the group expand operations in the state, emphasising govt efforts to create an investment-friendly environment.“He will invest more in this state… He is also looking into the possibility of expanding his existing operations in Bengal,” Bhattacharya said after the meeting, adding Birla would meet chief minister Adhikari on Monday.Bhattacharya earlier criticised “militant trade unionism” in Bengal that previously forced Aditya Vikram Birla to relocate his offices to Mumbai in 1978 to safeguard his business from labour unrest and frequent gheraos.During that incident, Birla was allegedly forced out of his car near Reserve Bank of India’s Kolkata branch and made to walk to his office. Following this, other prominent industrial groups like the Singhanias and Thapars shifted headquarters to Delhi and other states. Despite this corporate exodus, Aditya Birla Group retained an operational presence in Bengal.“CITU had driven Aditya Birla out of Bengal… However, the family did not lose their affection for the state,” Bhattacharya said, describing his interaction with Birla on investment possibilities as “very positive”.He later posted on X that discussions covered Bengal’s industrial potential, geographical advantages, skilled human resources, ports and communication infrastructure.Earlier, Bhattacharya visited Ashoknagar’s ONGC oilfield in North 24 Parganas. He posted on X about pursuing the project relentlessly over four years by raising it in Parliament and meeting ONGC officials to ensure Bengal’s resources benefit its people.During his visit, Bhattacharya assured officials of zero political interference from any BJP worker, MP or MLA, asserting there is no scope for politics over mineral resources.Calling for faster progress, he alleged the previous state govt had not cooperated with the project. He told reporters India’s petroleum minister had sent 19 letters to the state’s former chief minister regarding Petroleum Mining Leases required for extraction, but received no cooperation.Commercial crude oil production began at Ashoknagar’s Baigachhi oilfield on Aug 28, with the first 12,000-litre consignment transported to Haldia refinery.Highlighting natural gas exploration in Ranaghat and offshore oil exploration in Bay of Bengal, Bhattacharya said, “Political vendetta had compromised the country’s energy security for so long. Once this project becomes fully operational, it will further strengthen the country’s energy security.”
