The BJP on Wednesday formally announced the name of Ananta Maharaj as the party’s Rajya Sabha candidate from Bengal, a move which is being seen as an attempt by the saffron brigade to retain the support of Rajbanshis ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The announcement, however, has led to questions within the party as Ananta has been a long-time proponent of the separate Kamtapur state. Some BJP insiders have also expressed fears that the decision to field Ananta as a Rajya Sabha candidate might jeopardise the BJP’s prospects in the state.

On Tuesday, Ananta, who resides at Borogila village, Cooch Behar, had said he agreed to the BJP’s proposal to send him to Rajya Sabha. He had also said that he needed the Centre’s help to achieve the “longstanding demand of separate statehood”. On Wednesday, as Ananta reached Calcutta to file his nomination papers, Arun Singh, the BJP’s national general secretary, formally said that the party would field him as a candidate, along with two others from Gujarat.

A couple of days back, Trinamul announced its six Rajya Sabha candidates, including Prakash Chik Baraik, the Trinamul chief of Alipurduar district. Ananta, who heads a faction of the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Association, has always been vocal on the issue of carving out Kamtapur as a state or a Union territory from Bengal. However, both the BJP and Trinamul have tried to woo him as he enjoys clout among the Rajbanshis.

In north Bengal, Rajbanshi support decides the results of at least three Lok Sabha seats and around half of the 54 Assembly seats. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has, in the past, attended several events hosted by Ananta and invited him to various government events. Some Trinamul leaders in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar have also kept in touch with him.

The BJP has been equally desperate. Ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls in Bengal, Union home minister Amit Shah met Ananta in Assam. Prominent BJP leaders have visited his home. The saffron camp’s decision to send him to the Upper House, believed to be taken by party leaders in Delhi, however, have left several BJP leaders in Bengal worried.

“He advocates separate statehood. But there is a strong sentiment among many people in the state against any further division of Bengal. Some (party) leaders may feel this move (Ananta’s candidature) can help retain Rajbanshi support but it can also have a negative impact on our party’s prospects,” said a senior BJP functionary.

Another BJP leader said that earlier when some of their lawmakers from north Bengal backed the statehood demand, many in the state leadership felt it could dent their support base in Bengal and national president J.P. Nadda intervened to say no BJP legislator would speak on the issue. “But now, we have a candidate vocal on the issue,” he said.