The Aryavarth Express
Agency(West Bengal): The electoral atmosphere in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar is charged with anticipation as the constituency prepares for a significant day of campaigning on Thursday. Scheduled are consecutive rallies by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, setting the stage for a spirited contest in this Lok Sabha seat.
Chief Minister Banerjee is set to address the public first at a rally around noon in Cooch Behar, with Prime Minister Modi following suit with a mega rally planned at Rasleela ground at around 3pm, approximately 30 kilometers away from Banerjee’s venue.
Recent tensions between supporters of the current BJP MP and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nisith Pramanik, and TMC leader and Minister Udayan Guha, have transformed Cooch Behar into a significant battleground for both political factions, each eager to claim victory.
Pramanik, who seeks reelection, faces competition from TMC’s Jagadish Barma Basunia, a representative of the Rajbanshi community and the incumbent MLA of Sitai, emphasizing the intense rivalry in this election cycle.
The BJP remains confident, citing the community’s strong support and the anticipated reflection of this backing in the upcoming poll results on June 4. The party credits its prospects to the developmental work by its MP and initiatives by the Modi government, expecting a successive term win.
Cooch Behar, previously a bastion of the Left Front partner Forward Bloc for 32 years, has evolved into a stronghold for the BJP, despite the TMC’s impressive win in the 2021 state elections. The BJP holds five of the seven assembly segments in the constituency.
Conversely, the TMC criticizes the BJP for fostering a “Goondaraj” and expresses confidence in securing the seat by a large margin, reflecting a widespread dissatisfaction among the populace towards the BJP’s governance.
The electoral significance of Cooch Behar is further heightened by the expectations set by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee for PM Modi to present a detailed report on funds allocated to West Bengal under various central schemes during his rally.
The rivalry between Pramanik and Guha, particularly in Dinhata, a site of recurrent political strife, underscores the deep-rooted tensions that have culminated in recent clashes, drawing attention from law enforcement and state governance.
As the constituency approaches its April 19 polling date, the upcoming rallies by prominent national and state leaders mark a pivotal moment in West Bengal’s political landscape, indicative of the broader electoral battles across the state.
