The Trinamool Congress dispensation on Wednesday tried to wring maximum political mileage out of Ram Navami, even if it meant taking part in a procession along with the BJP.

The ruling party in Bengal organised processions and fielded its leaders and Lok Sabha candidates on the streets under the blistering April sun to prevent the saffron ecosystem from reaping political dividends by consolidating Hindu votes ahead of the election beginning April 19.

Trinamool’s determination not to let the BJP walk away with brownie points in the poll season was most evident in Siliguri where the party’s Darjeeling (plains) president, Papia Ghosh, walked in a procession alongside BJP’s sitting Darjeeling MP and candidate Raju Bista and other leaders from the saffron camp.

“Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has taught us to be courteous with everybody. However, if someone tries to gain political benefits by using this religious event, we will protest,” Papia said when asked about her participation in the rally.

The Siliguri rally, hosted by the Ram Janmabhoomi Mahotsav Samiti, commenced from Mallaguri in the northern parts of the city and moved along Hill Cart Road with senior BJP leaders such as Bista and Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh.

Trinamool’s Papia, who joined the rally, was seen greeting the organisers and the BJP leaders.

Ram Navami, believed to mark Lord Ram’s birth, was not a widely celebrated religious event in Bengal till the BJP emerged on the state’s political map as a big player by winning 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019.

Trinamool’s decision to take to the streets in a big way this year is an interesting shift in its strategy as the party had often accused the BJP of politicising the religious event to polarise Hindu voters.

However, since 2019, Trinamool slowly began to participate in Ram Navami celebrations and the big leap happened this year with polls only two days away.

Justifying the aggressive presence in Ram Navami celebrations, a TMC leader said the party did not want to offer the BJP a free space to consolidate Hindu votes and pitch its anti-Hindu narrative against Mamata and her party.

“There should be no hegemony of the BJP over Ram Navami celebrations to reap political dividends. Everyone has the right to take part in any religious event,” the Trinamool leader added.

However, publicly the Trinamool refused to read politics in the participation of party leaders in the festivities.

Trinamul spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the party’s rank and file always took
part in religious events of all communities.

“The BJP always uses Ram as a political weapon to win elections. Our party leaders and candidates participated in Ram Navami celebrations just like they do in other religious events of different communities,” Ghosh said.

The participation of TMC leaders in Ram Navami celebrations, particularly Lok Sabha candidates, was widespread across Bengal.

TMC’s Ghatal nominee and actor Dipak Adhikari aka Dev chanted “Jai Shri Ram” slogans at a Ram Navami event in his constituency in West Midnapore. The party also held a mega show in Howrah where Prasun Banerjee and Sayani Ghosh — Trinamool nominees from Howrah and Jadavpur constituencies — participated.

In Birbhum’s Suri, a similar procession was organised where the party’s three-term MP and candidate Satabdi Roy took part.

Several BJP leaders, including the party’s Birbhum candidate and former IPS officer Debasish Dhar, took part in the rallies.

According to several political observers, the heavy presence of Trinamool Congress leaders in the Ram Navami celebrations was not unexpected as they saw it as the party’s final plunge to grab Hindu votes through the religious route.

“Trinamool Congress not only used its strength to participate in the Ram Navami celebrations but the most interesting thing is the state government announced a holiday on Ram Navami this year for the first time,” said political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty.

According to Chakraborty, TMC’s desperate move to celebrate the occasion fulfilled the desire of the saffron ecosystem and the BJP to get other political parties to follow their ideology.

“Trinamool did just what the BJP wanted. I think today’s performance by Trinamool on Ram Navami will make the leaders of the BJP and the saffron ecosystem happy,” Chakrabarty added.

The BJP leaders, however, claimed that the Trinamool’s Ram Navami overdrive was out of fear of losing Hindu votes, not devotion to Ram.

“It is good that finally, Trinamool leaders have started celebrating Ram Navami. However, it is not out of devotion but in fear (of losing votes). It is also interesting that the Trinamool government granted an official leave on Ram Navami for the first time,” said Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the Opposition in Bengal and the BJP’s Nandigram MLA.

Criticising the two parties for using religion to get votes, CPM leaders said Bengal witnessed a clear example of competitive communalism on Wednesday.

“Trinamool and the BJP have been involved in a competitive communalism for years. This year it was exposed as Trinamool leaders and candidates rushed to utilise the event in the run-up to the Lok Sabha votes. What we observed today in our state was a harmful move for democracy,” said CPM politburo member Ram Chandra Dome.