Avijit Dey Bhowmik, the Cooch Behar district president of the Trinamool Congress, has announced that clubs in the Cooch Behar South Assembly constituency will receive contributions from the party to organise Durga Puja this year, a move that has triggered a political debate.
De Bhowmik said that the presidents and the secretaries of the clubs were invited to the Utsav auditorium on September 13 for an ‘Agomoni’ programme. At the event, the clubs will receive contributions for Durga Puja. He also announced a march on September 16 from Lal Dighi in Cooch Behar town with club members carrying banners to congratulate chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
“We help those who expect support from us. This year, we have called the clubs of Cooch Behar South to receive grants for Puja,” De Bhowmik said on Friday. He refused to disclose the exact amount each club would receive.
Sources said that more than 180 clubs were likely to participate in the Trinamool programmes.
The move has sparked an immediate reaction. The BJP accused Trinamool of mixing religion with politics.
Nikhil Ranjan Dey, the Cooch Behar South MLA of the BJP, said the decision exposed the ruling party’s electoral motives.
“Anyone can donate to a club personally, but why is Avijit De Bhowmik selecting only Cooch Behar South? He is the district president of Trinamool. If the aim was cultural, he could have covered all constituencies. This is vote-bank politics. I will ask people to take the money now but cast their votes for the lotus symbol at the right time,” Dey said.
De Bhowmik had contested from Cooch Behar South in 2021 but lost to Dey by
4,931 votes.
“Since becoming the district president of Trinamool, De Bhowmik has consolidated the party’s base and ensured its strong performances in the panchayat polls and the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Trinamool’s Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia defeated Nisith Pramanik of the BJP in the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency last year,” said
a source.
Trinamool insiders said De Bhowmik wanted to contest again from Cooch Behar South in 2026, and his Puja outreach was a part of a broader strategy to strengthen local ties.
Representatives of several clubs have welcomed the decision, saying that government and party support helped them organise festivals more effectively. Others voiced unease, suggesting that political leaders should avoid using festivals for electoral advantage.
Cooch Behar district has nine Assembly seats. In 2021, Trinamool won only Mekhliganj and Sitai, while the BJP captured seven. Trinamool later won a bypoll in Dinhata, raising its tally to three.