Trinamul’s all-India general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday unequivocally asserted his party’s stand against any further division of Bengal and accused the BJP of playing politics on the statehood issue.

The Trinamul MP, who reached here on Monday to launch his party's statewide outreach drive, said: “I am completely against the term Uttarbanga (north Bengal) which some political parties use to fulfill their political interests. There is only one Bengal from Cooch Behar to Kakdwip and it is West Bengal. Whether it is a block, a municipal ward, a village or a panchayat here, all are integral parts of Bengal.”

Such an assertion, which comes ahead of the Sanjog Yatra which Abhishek will hold for the next two months, hints that Trinamul is all set to use the strong sentiment that pervades across most parts of Bengal against any division of the state to woo voters ahead of rural polls.

“Trinamul has always opposed any division of the state. In recent times, a section of state BJP leaders, who had earlier spoken in support of the demand, are silent or even speaking against it. This will be an added advantage for Trinamul to prove that the BJP plays the statehood card for political gains only,” said a political observer.

Abhishek, speaking to newspersons, also questioned the “visibility” of BJP MPs in north Bengal, an issue that his party has flagged time and again.

“We (from Trinamul) reach out to the people in a regular manner. In the past six months, I came to Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar at least five times. You have seen me more than you have seen your local MP,” he said, without naming Nisith Pramanik, the Cooch Behar MP and the Union minister of state for home affairs.

Abhishek, speaking on his party's 60-day outreach, added that Trinamul was offering people the opportunity to choose their candidates for rural polls.

“Earlier, we used to say that one should cast his own vote in the morning hours in support of his own candidate. This time, we have moved a step ahead and are asking people to select their own candidates. A person, who has the people’s certificate, will be the elected representative in the future. This is the first time a political party has taken such an initiative in this country,” he said.

This afternoon, the Trinamul MP took a chopper from Bagdogra and landed at the ABN Seal College ground here. From there, he walked to the temple, offered puja at the Madanmohan temple and then headed for Bamanhat in Dinhata, where he will spend the night.

On Tuesday, Abhishek will launch the outreach, visit a number of locations to attend meetings and finally reach Mathabhanga by evening.