West Bengal is voting today in the very first phase of eight-phase elections in the state. Political parties in the state have been attempting to woo the voters of each caste specially that of STs, SC, and OBCs. Both the TMC and the BJP have promised OBC reservation for Telis and Mahisyas communities. Amid all this hullabaloo, the Matua neighborhood is at the centre of this vote bank politics. Matua, an SC neighborhood with a population of about 3 crores spread across the districts like North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Nadia. The neighborhood plays a crucial part in deciding the winning candidates in about 50-70 assembly constituencies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today presented prayers to Goddess Kali at the ancient Jashoreshwari Kali Temple and a further temple in Gopalganj’s Orakandi region in Bangladesh. Orakandi area is the abode of hundreds of persons belonging to the Hindu Matua neighborhood, a significant quantity of whom are residents of West Bengal. Modi is also meeting representatives of the Matua neighborhood at Orakandi, from exactly where Sri Sri Harichand Thakur disseminated his pious message. PM Modi will interact with a delegation of 300 Matua neighborhood members following providing ‘puja’ at Harichand-Gurichand Temple.
PM Modi’s meeting with the Matua neighborhood in Bangladesh holds political significance offered the assembly elections in West Bengal. Modi’s take a look at to the Orakandi temple will be closely watched by lakhs of Matua voters on the Indian side of the border.
If reports are to be believed, the BJP won 4 of the 10 scheduled caste seats in the 2019 General Elections, by capturing the Matua neighborhood votes on the back of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). One of the leaders belonging to the Matua neighborhood, Shantanu Thakur won on the BJP ticket from the Bongaon seat in 2019, defeating Mamata Bala. Shantanu Thakur is accompanying PM Modi for the duration of his Orakandi take a look at and has expressed his pleasure more than PM Modi’s take a look at to the region. This time, Shantanu Thakur’s brother Subrata Thakur is contesting from Gaighata on the BJP ticket.
The BJP is additional hunting to strengthen its base that helped it immensely in the 2019 polls.
West Bengal elections are becoming held in eight phases beginning today. The counting of votes will take location on May 2.