Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday said politics should be ideally pursued on karma (work), whereas the BJP mixed politics with dharma (religion).

The Trinamool national general secretary addressed a public meeting in the Dhupguri Assembly segment of Jalpaiguri district. Trinamool had wrested the seat from the BJP in a bypoll in 2023.

Later, he attended a road show at Jaigaon in Alipurduar district to canvass for Birendra Bara Oraon, whom Trinamool fielded from the Kalchini constituency.

“We believe politics should be on people’s issues like employment, education, social welfare, and infrastructure and on the karma or the work done. But the BJP brings in dharma (religion) to politics. People in Bengal will discard them this time,” Abhishek said at the public meeting.

The Diamond Harbour MP underscored that the Mamata Banerjee government had fulfilled two promises which he had made to the people of Dhupguri ahead of the bypoll — the new Dhupguri subdivision and infrastructure development at the local hospital.

“We could deliver on the promises. The BJP, on the other hand, has stopped
providing funds for social welfare schemes. You should ask BJP legislators and leaders on what basis they are seeking votes,” he said.

The Trinamool MP cited statistics in his speech to drive home the point that the state government had extended help to thousands of people of the Dhupguri constituency through the social welfare schemes.

He furnished the number of beneficiaries of schemes like Laxmir Bhandar, Krishak Bandhu (annual assistance to farmers), ration distribution, housing, and assistance to young girls for marriage.

“On one hand, Didi gives… But Modi takes it away by increasing LPG and fuel prices, and through consistent hikes of essential commodities,” said Abhishek.

Political observers said the second-in-command of Trinamool adopted the dual strategy of elaborating on the state’s welfare initiatives and exerting pressure on the BJP on the issue of polarisation, considering the varied demography of north Bengal.

In Jaigaon, which is on the border with Phuentsholing, Bhutan’s business capital, he was quick to promise a civic body and a hospital — two longstanding demands of local people.

“If our candidate wins from the Kalchini seat, Jaigaon will become a municipality and a hospital will be established here,” Abhishek said after undertaking a 2.5km-long road show from the Gopimohon Ground to Jaigaon Super Market.

Wilson in TMC

Wilson Champramary, a former MLA, joined Trinamool on Thursday. In 2009, Champramary had won a bypoll on a Gorkha Janmukti Morcha ticket and retained the seat with Trinamool support in 2011.

After Champramary had been denied the ticket in 2016, he joined the BJP.