Bangshibadan Barman, who heads a faction of the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Association (GCPA), asked his supporters on Wednesday to support the Trinamul candidate in Cooch Behar in the general election.

Barman’s call from a public meeting here could lead to the division of Rajbanshi votes, said observers, adding that this could be a cause for concern to the BJP. The GCPA has considerable clout among community members across Cooch Behar, a district with over 40 per cent Rajbanshi population.

Addressing a public meeting of the organisation at the Raasmela Ground in Cooch Behar town, Barman recalled his first interaction with chief minister Mamata Banerjee hrough a telephonic conversation on August 31, 2017.

He said he told Mamata then that according to the merger agreement of 1949 when the princely state of Cooch Behar merged with India, Cooch Behar was supposed to be conferred the status of a “C category” state, but it eventually was reduced to a district of Bengal.

“In reply, Didi (Mamata) told me that it is a central government subject but she sincerely wants to work for the welfare of our community. Later, she formed the Rajbanshi Cultural and Development Board. Initially, I was appointed as vice-chairman and later she put me in the chairman’s post. She has taken several steps for the welfare of Rajbanshis, which include official recognition of our language and recognition to 200 Rajbanshi-medium schools,” Barman said in his speech.

“That is why we will stand by her in the elections. I would ask all of you to vote for Trinamul,” he added, in presence of Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, the Trinamul candidate of Cooch Behar and other leaders of the party on the dais.

Barman also lashed out at Nisith Pramanik, the BJP MP of Cooch Behar, whom the saffron camp has fielded for the second time. During his five-year tenure as a lawmaker, Pramanik ignored the Rajbanshi community, the GCPA leader alleged.

“The MP of Cooch Behar never raised our longstanding demand for inclusion of Rajbanshi language in the eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution in Parliament. He was equally silent on our demand for a state. We will not vote for him and would rather support the person who has done work for the socio-economic development of our community,” Barman said.

Basunia, the Trinamul candidate, said if he is elected, he would raise the demand for recognition of Rajbanshi language in Parliament. "It will be my first priority," he said.