Rajbanshi leader Ananta Maharaj, who was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Bengal on a BJP ticket, on Tuesday parroted the “vikaas (development)” mantra of the saffron camp and parried questions about the demand for the Kamtapur state.

Along with Nagrendra Roy, who is also known as Ananta Maharaj, six others fielded by the Trinamul Congress were also elected to the Upper House unopposed.

Ananta reached the New Cooch Behar station by train on Tuesday morning and was given a rousing welcome by supporters of the BJP and the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Association (GCPA). Ananta heads a faction of the GCPA.

“I will work for ‘vikaas’ in this region. It is important to take initiatives for the comprehensive development of the people who live here,” said Ananta.

The GCPA leader, however, evaded a direct reply to a question on his demand for the Kamtapur state. “You will come to know about it when I will speak in detail (on the issue) in the Upper House of Parliament,” he said.

Ananta also thanked the Prime Minister and the Union home minister for choosing him for the Rajya Sabha seat. “I feel honoured. It is nice that I could make it to the Rajya Sabha,” said the Rajbanshi leader.

After Ananta’s name was announced by the BJP as a nominee for the Rajya Sabha, there was resentment within the party. Even the RSS had raised questions, though off record, about his selection.

“It is hard to believe that the party doesn’t have any other competent person who could have been sent to the Rajya Sabha,” a senior BJP functionary had said.

With Ananta returning home after winning uncontested, Trinamul leaders, who had raised fingers at the BJP for fielding a person who wanted a new state to be carved out of Bengal, sought clarification from him and the BJP.

“We want to know whether Ananta Maharaj is still sticking to his demand and the BJP is endorsing it,” said Parthapratim Roy, Trinamul’s spokesperson in Cooch Behar.