KOLKATA/KRISHNANAGAR: As the Matua stronghold in the border constituencies of Krishnanagar and Ranaghat go to polls in the fourth phase on Monday, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) - touted as the X factor in the elections in these zones - seems to have lost its steam and the battle of personalities appear to have taken the centre stage in poll battle.
While BJP and Prime Minister Modi had kept the CAA, which the Centre had strategically unveiled prior to the Lok Sabha elections, at the top of their initial poll campaign list, hoping to cast a formidable shadow on the political landscape in Matua and Rajbangshi dominated districts like Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Malda and Cooch behar, as the election progressed, the issue started losing its steam with the Trinamool Congress claiming that not a single person has applied for citizenship under the new act.
Now, BJP, too, has changed its poll tactics in these areas targeting candidates and other issues like corruption, women safety and alleged minority appeasement alongside CAA.
Even chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who used to start her campaign speeches criticising CAA and NRC in the initial phases of the election has now pushed it to the latter half of her speech while focussing on other issues like Sandeshkhali expose, Centre denying state rights and alleged complaint of molestation against the governor.
"CAA has little effect in Krishnanagar. It still has some impact in Ranaghat but not in Krishnanagar. And that is the reason our poll campaign focuses entirely on Lakshmir Bhandar and local development plans like beautification around Jalangi river, construction of a new flyover at Beledanga, construction of new medical college, vet hospital, multi-storey car parking lot and mortuary," said Ujjwal Biswas, MLA Krishnanagar (south) and state science and technology minister while campaigning for Krishnanagar candidate Mahua Moitra, who is seeking re-election from the seat.
"We have a sizeable Hindu vote in both constituencies. But despite initial buzz on CAA, we are focussing more on other prominent issues like overall development of the nation, Trinamool's growing corruption and anti-Hindu sentiments. We are also focussing on how TMC candidate Moira herself was expelled in the cash-for-query scam and how our candidate, 'rajmata' (queen mother) Amrita Roy, is a clean candidate," said Arjun Biswas, Nadia (north) district president for BJP.
Nadia is a diverse region with Hindus making up 72.1% and Muslims 26.8% of the population.
Trinamool Congress has performed well in Krishnanagar constituency in 2019 as well as during the 2021 assembly elections, winning six out of seven assembly seats, including Tehatta, Palashipara, Kaliganj, Nakashipara, Chapra and Krishnanagar South, with an overall vote share of 45.8%.
Ranaghat, a reserved seat for the Scheduled Caste community, saw a significant victory for BJP in the 2019 general elections, where they won with a vote share of 52.8%.