The Durga Puja pandal inauguration season has begun, with major political parties using this opportunity to connect with the local vote-base ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja, modeled after the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has virtually inaugurated nearly 800 pandals and faced controversy for starting the inauguration during "pitru paksha". Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim and ministers Sujit Bose and Aroop Biswas have also patronized large pandals, giving competition to the BJP.