The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has zeroed down Ananta Maharaj as its candidate from West Bengal for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections which are scheduled to take place on July 24, 2023. Ananta Rai (Maharaj) is a Rajbanshi leader and he has been pressing for the creation of a separate Greater Cooch Behar state or Union territory.Rai had apparently taken over the title of “Maharaja” more than two decades ago.
Rai heads the faction of Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association (GCPA). He has considerable hold over the Koch-Rajbongshi voters in the districts of North Bengal and even lower Assam. The eight districts, which Rai wants to be carved out of West Bengal and be made into a separate state or territory include the picturesque Darjeeling.
North Bengal is an economically viable region owing to the presence of timber, tea and also a hub for the tourists. It was in the eighties that the region saw violent movements that were organised by various ethnic groups such as Gorkhas, Rajbanshis, Kochs and Kamatapuris.
In the past, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had met Ananta Maharaj in Assam. He had also shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public rally that was held at Ras Mela Ground in Cooch Behar in 2019.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been trying to woo Ananta Maharaj as she tried to build a rapport with him and also shared dais with him during the October Bijoya Sammilani meeting that was held in 2022 in North Bengal. She had also wished him on Bhai Phonta.
Ahead of the West Bengal Panchayat Elections, both the BJP and the All India Trinamool Congress Party (AITMC) had tried to break the ice with Ananta Maharaj. However, Ananta Maharaj reiterated and stood firm on his demand for a separate Greater Cooch Behar state.
Election Commission to conduct Rajya Sabha Elections for vacant seats
The Election Commission had announced that the elections to the 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat, Goa and West Bengal will be conducted on July 24 and the last date for filing the nomination is July 13. Counting of votes will take place on July 24, one hour after the polling process ends. There are six Rajya Sabha seats in West Bengal on which elections will be held.
Meanwhile, TMC members O’Brien, Dola Sen, Sushmita Dev, Shanta Chhetri and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray will retire as Rajya Sabha members from West Bengal and Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya will complete his tenure in August.
BJP members Vinay D Tendulkar from Goa, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Jugalsinh Lokhandwala and Dinesh Chandra Anavadiya from Gujarat are among those whose tenure will come to an end soon.
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