Express News Service
COOCH BEHAR/ALIPURDUAR: Sitting on a wooden chair in his small book store, Surojit Dey was looking at the BJP roadshow marching along the arterial road of Alipurduar.
The small town in north Bengal never experienced such an election extravaganza thousands of people, lines of decorated vehicles and dozens of musical bands. The crowd continued roaring ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
“Look at the faces. They represent all segments of our society college students, government employees, daily wage workers. Most of them are Dalits who used to be the strength of our party five years ago,’’ said Surojit, a TMC worker.
In Cooch Behar, Rajbongshis’ demand of ‘sena’ and ‘bhasha’ takes centre stage
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Synopsis
TMC is wooing Rajbongshis back to its fold, claiming that the BJP s promise of honouring the ‘Narayani Sena’ is false. It is citing a reply to Cooch Behar district TMC chief Partha Pratim Roy, also a candidate from Sitalkuchi, alleging that the central government had no plans of introducing a “Narayani Regiment” in the army.
The TMC is also targeting the Nasya shek community, which it believes are Hindus from the Rajbongshis who converted to Islam generations ago and form around 9% of the population in the State.
TMC, BJP Woo Rajbangshi Voters, Bengalâs Largest SC Group, Ahead of Polls
BJP leader Amit Shah has also visited Ananta Rai, who leads a faction of the GCPA, which has a history of leading violent movements and seeks to carve out the state of Greater Cooch Behar.
Union home minister and BJP leader Amit Shah during the launch of forth phase of Poribortan Yatra, ahead of the West Bengal assembly polls, in Cooch Behar, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. Phot: PTI
Politics13/Feb/2021
Kolkata: Union home minister Amit Shah left no stones unturned on Thursday to please the Koch Rajbangshi community of north Bengal â the largest scheduled caste group in the state which can influence election results in around 20 assembly seats in four districts.