{"id":26981,"date":"2025-12-30T07:13:43","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T07:13:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/30\/mamata-banerjees-temple-rush-ahead-of-bengal-polls-jagannath-in-digha-mahakal-in-siliguri-politics-news\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T07:13:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T07:13:43","slug":"mamata-banerjees-temple-rush-ahead-of-bengal-polls-jagannath-in-digha-mahakal-in-siliguri-politics-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/30\/mamata-banerjees-temple-rush-ahead-of-bengal-polls-jagannath-in-digha-mahakal-in-siliguri-politics-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Mamata Banerjee\u2019s Temple Rush Ahead Of Bengal Polls: Jagannath In Digha, Mahakal In Siliguri | Politics News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"story-9799726\">\n<p><span class=\"jsx-395e0e0beb19cb6e jsx-3759419209\">Last Updated:<\/span><time class=\"jsx-395e0e0beb19cb6e jsx-3759419209\">December 30, 2025, 12:36 IST<\/time><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"asubttl-9799726\" class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-62895152 asubttl-schema\">The Jagannath Temple, already under construction in Digha and now Mahakal Temple in North Bengal indicate that Banerjee is in no mood to give the BJP a space ahead of elections.<\/h2>\n<div class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b artsharwrp\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news18.co\/gnps-en-btn\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"jsx-91f4da8d48c13a79 gglebtn bgblu\"\/><\/p>\n<div id=\"artshare\" class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b artshare\">\n<div class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b stickdiv\">\n<div class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b deskwrapstkdiv\">\n<div class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b fontchange\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.news18.com\/dlxczavtqcctuei\/news18\/static\/images\/english\/font.svg\" height=\"30px\" width=\"30px\" alt=\"font\" title=\"font\" class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b lazyload\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-62895152\">\n<figure class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-62895152 amimg\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (AITC)\" title=\"West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (AITC)\" src=\"https:\/\/images.news18.com\/ibnlive\/uploads\/2021\/07\/1627283897_news18_logo-1200x800.jpg?impolicy=website&amp;width=400&amp;height=225\" loading=\"eager\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-62895152\"\/><\/p>\n<p>West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (AITC)<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"0\" class=\"story_para_0\">In politics, when you use your opponent\u2019s greatest strength as your shield, you know the fight is a do-or-die one. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is doing exactly that. On Monday, she announced the construction of the Mahakal Temple in Siliguri. Furthermore, she also promised the Gangasagar Bridge. This isn\u2019t just a matter of faith, but a deliberate masterstroke to bat on the BJP\u2019s pitch ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.<\/p>\n<p id=\"1\" class=\"story_para_1\">Mamata Banerjee, once irritated by the slogan \u201cJai Shri Ram&#8221; in West Bengal politics, is now seeking refuge in Mahakal herself. The way Mamata Banerjee has sharpened the religious and cultural agenda in the early weeks of 2025 is the biggest proof of the TMC\u2019s changing strategy.<\/p>\n<p id=\"2\" class=\"story_para_2\">The Chief Minister has announced that in the second week of January, she will lay the foundation stone for the Mahakal Temple in Siliguri. Furthermore, on January 5, she will lay the foundation stone for the construction of a bridge at Gangasagar.<\/p>\n<p id=\"3\" class=\"story_para_3\">The Jagannath Temple, already under construction in Digha and now the Mahakal Temple in North Bengal indicate that Mamata Banerjee is in no mood to give the BJP a walkover on the issue of \u201cHindutva.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"4\" class=\"story_para_4\">Banerjee on Monday laid the foundation stone for the Durga Angan. The Chief Minister said, \u201cMaa Durga will be worshipped here for 365 days, with the courtyard open daily. Everyone will be able to have darshan of Maa Durga for 365 days. Cultural programs will be held, employment opportunities will be created, and shops will open. The blueprint has been prepared; they also built the Jagannath Dham. I hope they will complete it successfully.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h4>North Bengal Mathematics: A Breach In BJP\u2019s Fortress<\/h4>\n<p id=\"5\" class=\"story_para_5\">To understand this decision, one must look at the map of Bengal. Siliguri is the gateway to North Bengal. This is the area where the BJP swept the TMC in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The BJP\u2019s hold in North Bengal is very strong, and this is largely due to the consolidation of the tribal and Gorkha communities, as well as the Hindu vote bank.<\/p>\n<p id=\"6\" class=\"story_para_6\">\u201cMany people are saying that I am appeasing, but I am secular and believe in all religions. I love Bengal, I love India. We love all castes, all religions. This is our ideology. Every person has their own democratic right. I was trying to get the central government to build the Gangasagar bridge, but now I will build it myself. I will lay its foundation stone on January 5, and the bridge will be ready for the public in the next two years,&#8221; said Banerjee.<\/p>\n<p id=\"7\" class=\"story_para_7\">Mamata Banerjee\u2019s statement is not a clarification, but a counter-attack. She wants to establish that her secularism doesn\u2019t exclude Hinduism. She wants to convey the message that she, too, is a Hindu, recites Chandi mantras, and builds temples, but she doesn\u2019t spread hatred like the BJP.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-62895152 atbtlink Location\"><span>Location :<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>West Bengal, India, India<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-62895152 atbtlink fp\"><span>First Published:<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"rs\">\n<p>December 30, 2025, 12:36 IST<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-62895152 brdcrmb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/\">News<\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/politics\/\">politics<\/a>  <span class=\"brdout\"> Mamata Banerjee\u2019s Temple Rush Ahead Of Bengal Polls: Jagannath In Digha, Mahakal In Siliguri<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"coral-wrap\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f \">\n<div class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f coral-cont\">\n<div class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f coltoptxt\">Disclaimer: Comments reflect users\u2019 views, not News18\u2019s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/disclaimer\/\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f\">Terms of Use<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/privacy_policy\/\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-62895152 rmbtn news18_read_more\">Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/politics\/mamata-banerjees-temple-rush-ahead-of-bengal-polls-jagannath-in-digha-mahakal-in-siliguri-ws-a-9799726.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last Updated:December 30, 2025, 12:36 IST The Jagannath Temple, already under construction in Digha and now Mahakal Temple in North Bengal indicate that Banerjee is in no mood to give the BJP a space ahead of elections. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (AITC) In politics, when you use your opponent\u2019s greatest strength as your shield,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26277,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26981","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\/26981","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=26981"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26981\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}