{"id":13271,"date":"2025-09-16T19:34:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T19:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/16\/pandals-politics-bengals-durga-puja-season-sets-stage-for-election-battle-politics-news\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T19:34:49","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T19:34:49","slug":"pandals-politics-bengals-durga-puja-season-sets-stage-for-election-battle-politics-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/16\/pandals-politics-bengals-durga-puja-season-sets-stage-for-election-battle-politics-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Pandals & Politics: Bengal\u2019s Durga Puja Season Sets Stage For Election Battle | Politics News"},"content":{"rendered":"


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With elections scheduled early next year, both the Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya\u00a0Janata Party plan to use Durga Puja as a platform to connect with the people<\/h2>\n
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A number of pandals with BJP influence have adopted Operation Sindoor as their theme. Pic\/News18<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Durga Puja is just around the corner, and while organisers in West Bengal are busy giving their pandals the final touches, political parties are also gearing up for the festive season. With elections scheduled early next year, both the Trinamool Congress and <\/span>Bharatiya<\/span>\u00a0Janata Party plan to use Durga Puja<\/a> as a platform to connect with the people.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has already announced a grant of Rs 1.10 lakh for each club, which experts believe is aimed at reinforcing the message that the government stands firmly with the puja organisers.<\/span><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s pandal themes have taken on a political colour. A number of pandals with BJP influence have adopted \u201cOperation <\/span>Sindoor<\/span>” as their theme. The renowned Santosh Mitra Square <\/span>Sarbojanin<\/span>\u00a0Durga Utsav in Kolkata, for instance, will showcase displays ranging from the S-400 missile system to <\/span>BrahMos<\/span>. Organisers have hinted that union home minister Amit Shah may inaugurate the pandal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking with News18, organiser and BJP leader <\/span>Sajal<\/span>\u00a0Ghosh said, \u201cI did not start Durga Puja after becoming powerful, unlike some TMC ministers. This puja has been organised since the time of my great-grandfather. We usually highlight themes for the nation, and this year we felt it was important to showcase the valour of our soldiers. There is no competition with Bengali <\/span>Asmita<\/span>. If others want to take up such themes, that is their choice.”<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just Kolkata<\/span>\u2014BJP-linked pandals elsewhere are also following the same line. In <\/span>Balurghat<\/span>, union minister of state <\/span>Sukanta<\/span>\u00a0Majumdar\u2019s Newtown Pally Puja has also chosen Operation <\/span>Sindoor<\/span>\u00a0as its theme. Majumdar told News18, \u201cThe valour of the Indian Armed Forces must be saluted. They have done a mammoth task for the nation, and it is because of them that we sleep peacefully. We want the youth to be inspired and motivated to join the armed forces. As for Bengali <\/span>Asmita<\/span>, it cannot exist outside India\u2019s <\/span>Asmita<\/span>. This is nothing but vote politics.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Glimpses of upcoming pandals. Images\/News18<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

On the other hand, pandals linked to TMC ministers are embracing the theme of Bengali <\/span>Asmita<\/span>\u00a0(pride). With elections looming, the ruling party is also making its message clear. Of Bengal\u2019s top five pujas, three to four are organised by ministers. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee herself will inaugurate several of them. Notably, <\/span>Suruchi<\/span>\u00a0Sangha, organised by minister Arup Biswas, has chosen \u201cBengali <\/span>Asmita<\/span>” as its central theme. Party insiders say this aligns directly with Mamata Banerjee\u2019s election campaign slogan, which focuses on Bengali pride.<\/span><\/p>\n

The BJP, however, has dismissed the TMC\u2019s narrative. State president <\/span>Samik<\/span>\u00a0Bhattacharya told News18, \u201cThey can take up any pandal theme, but there is no competition. They have always opposed \u2018<\/span>Vande<\/span> Mataram<\/span>\u2019 by Bankim Chandra, so how can they now talk about Bengali <\/span>Asmita<\/span>? It\u2019s a fake narrative. Operation <\/span>Sindoor<\/span>\u00a0is a tribute to the armed forces. This time, the BJP will set up stalls at various pandals to promote \u2018Vocal for Local\u2019 and nationalist ideology. Let me make it clear\u2014this is TMC\u2019s last puja in power.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The party will also set up book stalls in various pandals under the \u201cVocal for Local” theme, said sources.<\/span><\/p>\n

BJP sources further revealed that the party may distribute saris during the festivities. Senior leader Locket Chatterjee added, \u201cWe will make people aware of how TMC wants to bring in more Rohingyas\u2014that is why they are doing all this. We will always stand with the people.”<\/span><\/p>\n

TMC leaders maintain that their association with Durga Puja is long-standing and genuine. A senior party leader said, \u201cLet them (BJP) do whatever they feel like. We have always been part of puja, and that is nothing new.”<\/span><\/p>\n

What is evident, however, is that the battle for Bengal will play out not just in rallies and campaigns, but also in the grandeur and themes of Durga Puja pandals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kamalika Sengupta<\/a><\/p>\n

Kamalika Sengupta is the Editor (East) at CNN-News18 \/ News18.com, focusing on politics, defence, and women\u2019s issues. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with over 20 years of experience reporting from East…Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kamalika Sengupta is the Editor (East) at CNN-News18 \/ News18.com, focusing on politics, defence, and women\u2019s issues. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with over 20 years of experience reporting from East… Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

First Published:<\/span><\/p>\n
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September 16, 2025, 23:49 IST<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

News<\/a> politics<\/a> Pandals & Politics: Bengal\u2019s Durga Puja Season Sets Stage For Election Battle<\/span><\/div>\n
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Last Updated:September 16, 2025, 23:49 IST With elections scheduled early next year, both the Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya\u00a0Janata Party plan to use Durga Puja as a platform to connect with the people A number of pandals with BJP influence have adopted Operation Sindoor as their theme. Pic\/News18 Durga Puja is just around the corner, and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}