TMC, BJP launch football tourneys invoking Swami Vivekananda

Kolkata: As Bengal gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections, two of the state’s most powerful passions—football and politics—have clashed in a high-stakes contest of influence.

Both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Opposition BJP have rolled out parallel football tournaments this week, invoking Swami Vivekananda and youth power.

Last month, state Sports minister Aroop Biswas announced that the Department of Youth Services and Sports, along with the Indian Football Association (IFA), would host the ‘Swami Vivekananda Cup Zilla Club Football Championship’.

The tournament, launched on September 11 to mark the 133rd anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s historic Chicago address at the Parliament of World Religions, will feature 348 matches across Bengal. The final is slated for March 26, 2026, just weeks before the Bengal Assembly elections.

Not to be outdone, BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya on Thursday inaugurated the ‘Narendra Cup’ in Howrah’s Dasnagar, also tied to the 133-year milestone of Swamiji’s speech.

The week-long tournament, ending September 17, coinciding with PM Modi’s birthday and Vishwakarma Puja, is being seen by many as a grassroots outreach effort by the saffron party. Meanwhile, on a different pitch, both sides have accused the other of politicising the occasion. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh countered the BJP’s charges, saying: “Swami Vivekananda belongs to the entire nation, not one party. Our focus is sports, unity, and youth empowerment.”

Bhattacharya, highlighting the participation of 1,300 teams from 43 organisational districts, declared: “This is not just a tournament, it’s a tribute to Swamiji’s message of cultural nationalism and youth empowerment.”