Ananta Maharaj, a leader of the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association (GCPA) who has influence among the Rajbongshis, has invited Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on the occasion of the birth anniversary celebration of warrior Chilapata Roy on February 15 and 16.
Sources say Mamata Banerjee is likely to attend the event.
Ananta Maharaj’s invitation assumes political significance as he is an important influencer among the powerful Rajbongshi community of the state.
Around 30% of North Bengal vote, covering 54 assembly seats, is with the Rajbongshis (the original bhoomiputra of the princely state).
Before the 2021 elections, Union home minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah had met Ananta Maharaj in Assam and had lunch at his residence. Sources say from 2019, Ananta Maharaj mobilised the Rajbongshi vote for the BJP. The BJP leaders from Bengal and Delhi kept in constant touch with Ananta Maharaj.
In 2021, the TMC came back to power with a thumping majority, but was not happy with the result in North Bengal. TMC won two of the nine seats in Cooch Behar district. The result in Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, too, was not up to the mark. Sources say after the 2021 results, TMC leaders, too, started sending feelers to him and met Maharaj a couple of times.
North Bengal TMC leader Rabindranath Ghosh said, “We were in touch with him for long. He is a very important leader of the Rajbongshis. We are happy that he has invited Didi. We also want his suggestions for development of North Bengal.”
After the 2021 election, the BJP made two central Ministers from this region – Nishith Pramanik (MOS Home) and John Barla. Nishith is from the Rajbongshi community.
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