The election campaign in north Bengal is expected to be slushy with the weather office forecasting wet conditions for another week.

The region received rainfall on Wednesday with Sandakphu, the highest point in Bengal situated at an altitude of 11,900ft, even receiving a late winter snowfall.

North Bengal received the rainfall after December 7, 2023, and brought a sigh of relief to tea planters and farmers who were facing dry conditions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued a forecast for north Bengal where it predicted light to moderate rain with thunder and wind speed reaching 30 to 40 kilometres per hour until next Wednesday.

The forecast covers all eight north Bengal districts stretching from Darjeeling to Malda.

The IMD has, however, said there will be a gradual rise in day temperatures by four to six degrees Celsius in some parts of the region in the next three days but no further change after that.

When it rained on Wednesday, Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) president Anit Thapa was addressing an election campaign in a hall in Kurseong. He said even "the weather gods" were favouring his party.

“We were facing a drought-like situation. The Opposition parties which do not have any issues would have blamed me and the party if there was a water crisis. We are relieved that it rained today and even the weather gods seem to be favouring our party,” Thapa said.

The BGPM-backed Trinamul Congress candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat, Gopal Lama, was present at the meeting.

Political leaders cutting across party lines said week-long wet conditions would pose major difficulties during the campaign.

“No one would like to campaign when the weather is not too fine. Also, the turnout in public meetings will definitely be low if it rains. It will be a nightmare for the organisers if it rains during campaigns,” said a hill leader.

Lama has decided to file his nomination on Thursday and the BGPM has planned a grand show. “Lama will first visit the Mahakal temple after which we will bring out a rally from Chowrasta. The rally will be accompanied by a cultural entourage, too. We want to make it a grand show,” said a BGPM leader.