Political leaders indulge in game of one-upmanship in Siliguri
The Statesman | 4 November 2025
With Assembly elections less than a year away, political activities in Siliguri have begun taking a symbolic turn — and this time, the broom has become the new tool of political messaging.
A few days ago, mayor Goutam Deb of the Trinamul Congress (TMC) launched a special post-Chhath Puja cleanliness drive by personally sweeping the riverbanks as part of a campaign to clean the Mahananda and adjoining ghats. On Monday, his political rival, Siliguri MLA Dr. Sankar Ghosh of the BJP, was seen holding a broom himself, cleaning roads in front of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) along with party colleagues.
According to political observers, both leaders have sent out clear signals ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, using civic activities to connect with the people and highlight contrasting narratives on governance and accountability.
While mayor Deb projected his initiative as a gesture of civic responsibility, MLA Dr. Ghosh’s participation carried a sharper political message. Speaking to reporters, Dr. Ghosh raised concerns about the poor wages of scavengers employed by the SMC.
He alleged that despite the increasing income and property of councillors and members of the Mayor-in-Council, there has been no significant wage hike for sanitation workers.
“The scavengers, both permanent and casual, continue to suffer due to low pay and poor benefits. When the BJP comes to power, we will take up their issues seriously and ensure proper wages and welfare measures,” Dr. Ghosh said.
Responding to the criticism, mayor Goutam Deb defended the corporation’s record, saying, “When I was the Administrator of the corporation, we increased wages by 10 per cent, followed by another 3 per cent rise later. Besides, we have introduced several welfare schemes, including accidental and health insurance for both permanent and casual staff. The corporation is looking into their issues seriously — we don’t need to learn from the BJP what our duties are toward our workers.”
Political analysts say the back-to-back broom drives reflect the increasingly competitive political landscape in Siliguri, where both the TMC and BJP are vying for visibility through people-centric campaigns.
As the 2026 polls draw nearer, such symbolic gestures — whether river cleaning or street sweeping — are expected to play a significant role in shaping public perception, with each side trying to claim the moral high ground in the battle for Siliguri.