As West Bengal immerses itself in Durga Puja festivities, rivals TMC and BJP are using the occasion to bolster their political influence ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The two parties are engaging with the public and emphasising on religion as a narrative in Bengal's electoral landscape.

Both the parties look at the annual puja extravaganza as a chance to reach out to the people and have developed comprehensive strategies to convey their messages during it.

The ruling TMC continuing its tradition, announced a range of grants to over 40,000 community pujas despite criticisms that it is stoking religious sentiments at the expense of the exchequer.

The party has taken additional steps like setting up book stalls, health camps and water kiosks at Puja pandals to engage with the public.

BJP on the other hand enhanced its presence in the puja scenario this time by inviting a number of central leaders and union ministers, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President J P Nadda to inaugurate several community pujas in the state.

It also extended financial aid for the first time to more than 400 puja committees who are deprived of the state's largesse.

It tried to bring in temple politics in the state with BJP leader Sajal Ghosh coming up with a replica of the under-construction Ayodhya temple as a Puja marquee at Santosh Mitra Square Puja Committee. Home Minister Shah inaugurated it last week.

TMC leader Sougata Roy said, "Durga Puja is not just a festival in Bengal but a cultural extravaganza, with which everybody cutting across political and religious lines can identify. We utilize this festival as a means to reach out to the general people through our party stalls and kiosks.

"We don't need lessons from the BJP on how to celebrate Durga Puja. The BJP is yet to understand the culture and ethos of Bengal," Roy replied to questions on criticisms by the saffron party.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee nursing a leg injury, virtually inaugurated a large number of pujas this year. Her nephew and TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee followed her inaugurating several pujas in his Lok Sabha constituency of Diamond Harbour and the metropolis.

The BJP organised Durga Puja for three consecutive years since 2020. It has also set a goal to reach out to at least 10,000 puja committees in the state and set up stalls outside the marquees.

"This time we have extended financial aid to more than 400 Durga Puja committees across the state, because the TMC government even while extending aid to clubs for the puja differentiate on the basis of its political leanings. So we decided to step in and help them," BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar told PTI.

Ghosh said, "As Durga Puja is about of religion, there is no harm in creating a replica of Ram Temple as puja pandal".

The TMC government not only sponsors local clubs with an annual grant of Rs 2 lakh but has also increased state grants to Durga Puja committees from Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 per club this year. This has attracted criticisms from opposition CPI(M) and Congress who have accused TMC of politicising Durga Puja for its benefit.

"TMC has politicised Durga Puja in the state, which has only helped BJP's narrative in West Bengal," CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

The involvement of politicians with the festival dates back to the early 1970s when Congress leaders like Somen Mitra, Subrata Mukherjee and Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi began organising Durga pujas in their areas. The tradition was continued later TMC leaders, who were formerly affiliated with the Congress.

The Left Front was never directly associated with any Puja but set up stalls for their Bengali mouthpiece 'Ganashakti' outside every puja marquee across the state.

Political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty said the politicisation of the festival by TMC began since it came to power in 2011.

"Now BJP has entered the fray. Control over the clubs, which organize the pujas, is essential to gain an upper hand during elections," he added.

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