Kolkata: Youth Trinamool Congress leaders are eyeing on Saraswati Puja to reach out to the people of West Bengal ahead of crucial assembly elections. In an attempt to give Vasant Panchami a new dimension in the poll-bound state, the young TMC leaders are laying special emphasis on the festival which will be celebrated on February 16.
TMC leaders will be organising pujas and party leaders and workers will participate in full fervour in the festivities, which traditionally involves students.
Baishwanar Chattopadhyay, TMC councillor and member of Kolkata Municipal Corporation board, said, "Saraswati Puja is celebrated since ages by the people of Bengal which helps in building a connection. On this occasion, we get a chance to interact with students of universities and colleges who are new and young voters. But TMC does not want to indulge in petty politics like BJP. The saffron camp exploits religious feelings for poll benefits. We do not do that. For the sake of elections, BJP is now focusing on festivals and birth anniversaries of icons from Bengal. Since we maintain connections with the people throughout the year, we do not need to do that."
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Another Trinamool Congress councillor, Swapan Samaddar said that he has been celebrating the Saraswati Puja festivals for years.
"This year Saraswati Puja is different as 2021 is an election year too. Being an elected public representative, I have a deep connection with the people of Bengal and I do not need to exploit Saraswati Puja for that. But surely, a lot of people assemble at a place on the occasion of the festival and I get the chance to interact with them. This year, many people were home- bound during Durga Puja because of the Corona pandemic. So naturally, the celebration during the Saraswati Puja will be more and we get a chance to interact with them," Samaddar said.
According to him, whatever BJP leaders do is just for the sake of politics and elections.
"The BJP leaders in Delhi have absolutely no idea about the culture of West Bengal," he said.
