Why Mamata Banerjee awarded Bengal's top honour to a BJP MP? Decoding TMC's Rajbanshi outreach before polls

BJP MP Anant Maharaj was honoured with the Banga Bibhushan by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

• BJP MP Anant Maharaj receives Banga Bibhushan from Mamata Banerjee
• Anant Maharaj criticizes BJP's work for Cooch Behar at the award event
• TMC's move seen as outreach to Rajbanshi voters before elections

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When Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anant Maharaj received the West Bengal government's top civilian award -- Banga Bibhushan from chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday, he was as much surprised as other members of the Bengal BJP unit. However, what was unmissable was the 'deep symbolism' attached to the event and the political undertones that marked the ceremony.

The deep political messaging cannot be ignored as Maharaj is a prominent leader of the Rajbanshi community in North Bengal, where Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has struggled and the BJP has excelled in recent elections.

Maharaj's presence at the state government event in Deshapriya Park of south Kolkata has not only triggered fresh speculations about his equation with the TMC supremo, but also kickstarted a debate regarding the immediate electoral consequence of the move.

Reciting a poem written during his childhood, Maharaj thanked the CM for the state honour and then criticised his own party, saying the BJP has done nothing for Cooch Behar. "I am very grateful for this honour. It's International Mother Language Day, and I have been given this award for the Rajbanshi Community," he added, leaving the event 15 minutes later to catch a flight.

TMC's Rajbanshi outreach

Days before presenting Anant Maharaj with the award, the West Bengal chief secretary submitted a formal proposal to the Centre to include the Rajbanshi and Kurmali languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, which recognises official languages. This move was also seen as an outreach to the Rajbanshi community, ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. The Rajbanshis are a scheduled caste community concentrated in North Bengal, especially in districts like Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Malda, and Murshidabad.

Is the community electorally relevant?

In North Bengal, they constitute 30% of the electorate and are seen as an important swing community in the region, where neither the ruling Trinamool Congress nor the BJP can afford to lose ground to keep seat count intact.

The Rajbanshis hold sway in over 15 Assembly seats, where how they vote can affect results. Of the seven seats in Cooch Behar district, the TMC won the Sitai and Mekliganj Assembly seats, while the BJP won the five seats of Dinhata, Sitalkuchi, Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar Uttar and Dakshin.

Was Roy an ideal choice for TMC?

Roy has long been associated with the demand for a separate Cooch Behar state, carved out of districts in North Bengal and parts of Assam. He leads the Greater Cooch Behar People's Association. His influence within the Rajbanshi community is considered significant. Political observers in Bengal often say that the community's vote tends to follow his public stand. When he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP in 2023, he did not clearly state whether he would continue to press the separate statehood demand.

Will the move pay electoral dividends?

The award has sparked a political debate because of the timing. Assembly elections are due in West Bengal in the months of April and May. The Trinamool Congress has been in power for 15 years and the BJP has emerged as its main opponent in recent years. In North Bengal, where the Rajbanshi community holds electoral significance, the TMC has faced challenges in the region. In several recent elections, the BJP has performed better in the seats of North Bengal.