TMC fields Harihar Das in Sitalkuchi, signals backing from Ananta Maharaj

Cooch Behar: Harihar Das, the Trinamool Congress candidate for the Sitalkuchi Assembly Constituency, has received the backing of prominent Greater Cooch Behar leader Ananta Maharaj. The development was announced by the party’s national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee during a public rally held in support of Das on Wednesday.

Ananta Maharaj, a key figure in the Greater Cooch Behar movement and a Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha MP, commands a distinct support base in North Bengal. In 2019, he had openly backed the BJP, a move widely seen as contributing to the party’s strong performance in the region. The BJP’s engagement with him was significant, with senior leaders, including Amit Shah, visiting his residence. His continued alignment with the BJP during the 2021 Assembly elections eventually led to his nomination in the Rajya Sabha.

However, Maharaj’s persistent demand for the creation of a separate state or Union Territory comprising parts of North Bengal has increasingly strained his ties with the BJP. The differences became more pronounced around the time of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, during which he remained largely inactive.

The BJP subsequently lost the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha seat.In the aftermath, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Cooch Behar and held a meeting with Maharaj at his residence. Harihar Das, considered a close associate of Maharaj, was soon appointed Chairman of the Rajbanshi Language Academy, replacing Banshi Badan Barman, a leader from a rival faction within the movement.

The Trinamool Congress’s decision to field Das from Sitalkuchi is being viewed as part of a broader political realignment. While Maharaj has not appeared on the party’s public platforms, Banerjee’s statement at the rally has lent weight to speculation that he is extending tacit support to the TMC.

The development adds a new dimension to the contest in Sitalkuchi, where the sitting MLA is from the BJP, making the Constituency a key battleground in the ongoing Assembly elections.