Mamata Banerjee on Monday said her Bongaon candidate Mamatabala Thakur had been picked by Matua matriarch Binapani Devi herself, seeking to counter the BJP that has fielded the Trinamul nominee’s nephew.

At a rally in Bagda for the re-election of Mamatabala, the chief minister highlighted what her government had done for the matriarch, her legacy and the Matuas who hold the key to poll outcomes in the region. Binapani Devi, the head of the Matuas comprising the backward Namasudras who crossed over from Bangladesh after Partition, died at 99 on March 5 this year.

Binapani Devi’s grandson Santanu Thakur is the BJP candidate from the seat.

“Boroma (as Binapani was known) had herself recommended Mamata Thakur’s name….She is her candidate, her choice. We have taken care of Boroma, even when she was unwell,” Mamata said.

Since the matriarch’s demise, Trinamul and the BJP have been trying to secure the allegiance of the Matua Mahasangha, which the Thakur family controls. The Mahasangha is now virtually split into two factions, one led by Mamatabala and the other by Santanu.

“They (the BJP) came here only recently and used Boroma’s name for political reasons,” Mamata said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a rally in the area in February, weeks before Binapani Devi’s death and the announcement of the polls.