Cold Weather, Hot Politics: BJP–TMC Face Off in West Bengal’s Dakshin Dinajpur

January 10, 2026

Political temperatures are rising sharply

Kamal Kumar Biswas             Senior Correspondent 

Even before the Election Commission has announced the date of the next West Bengal Assembly elections 2026, political temperatures are rising sharply in Dakshin Dinajpur, defying the bone-chilling winter cold.Just days after Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee concluded his district tour, the Bharatiya Janata Party mounted a swift counteroffensive. Within 72 hours, Biplab Deb, former Tripura Chief Minister and now BJP’s election observer for West Bengal, arrived in the same region, signaling that the battle for the state has well and truly begun.

From early morning, BJP workers and supporters gathered in large numbers at Patiram, near the bus stand and BJP party office crossing, where the district unit organized a public meeting. The atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm as thousands of supporters waved party flags and raised slogans.Addressing the crowd, Mr.Biplab Deb urged party workers to adopt a grassroots strategy. “Each of you should call at least ten people and campaign for the BJP,” he said, asserting that such efforts would ensure the “blooming of the lotus” in the next Assembly elections.

He also launched a direct attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, declaring that “her time is coming to an end,” and accusing her government of suffering from what he described as “misguided thinking at the moment of decline.”Throughout his speech, Mr. Biplab Deb remained sharply critical of the state government, alleging failures on multiple fronts — from illegal infiltration along the borders and coal smuggling to incidents of rape, extortion, and concerns over women’s safety. His remarks drew loud applause from the crowd.

The meeting, held in the Patiram area under the Tapan Assembly constituency, was attended by several senior BJP leaders, including Balurghat MLA Dr.Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Tapan MLA Budhrai Tudu, district general secretary Bapi Sarkar, Gautam Ray, and other party functionaries.With mass rallies, rapid counter-visits by rival leaders, and escalating rhetoric, Dakshin Dinajpur is emerging as an early flashpoint in West Bengal’s pre-election political contest — a sign that the road to the Assembly polls will be anything but quiet.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Biplab Deb paid his respects following the demise of the mother of Dakshin Dinajpur district BJP president, Mr. Swarup Choudhury. The former chief minister offered floral tributes at her feet, expressing condolences to the bereaved family — a gesture that underscored a somber moment amid an otherwise charged political visit.