With the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections approaching, the Bharatiya Janata Party has begun damage-control efforts in politically sensitive Cooch Behar, where internal discontent within the party has triggered embarrassment from the district to the national level.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, during his visit to Cooch Behar on Friday, took a significant political initiative by meeting Rajya Sabha MP Nagendra Roy, also known as Ananta Maharaj, who recently launched a sharp attack on the BJP over the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and went to the extent of branding Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “Pakistani”.
The late-night meeting, held at Nagendra Roy’s residence, assumed considerable political importance, coming just days ahead of Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s scheduled visit to Cooch Behar on 13 January. Political observers view the timing as crucial, especially as the ruling TMC is attempting to capitalise on BJP’s internal rifts in North Bengal.
It may be recalled that during his Malda visit on 8 January, Abhishek Banerjee repeatedly cited Nagendra Roy’s controversial remarks on SIR, highlighting that a BJP Rajya Sabha MP had publicly labelled the Prime Minister as “Pakistani”, a charge that caused serious discomfort within the BJP leadership.
Nagendra Roy’s recent statements proved deeply embarrassing for the party, from Cooch Behar to New Delhi, particularly due to his continued defiance and refusal to soften his stand. The situation became more politically sensitive given his past equations with the TMC. Sources recalled that soon after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had met Nagendra Roy at his residence in Cooch Behar to personally congratulate him on the constituency’s result. It is also widely believed that Roy’s influence played a role in preventing the BJP from retaining the Cooch Behar seat.
As Samik Bhattacharya emerged from Roy’s residence late on Friday night, local reporters questioned him about the purpose and outcome of the meeting.
Downplaying speculation, the state BJP president said: “We are both Members of the Rajya Sabha and belong to the same party. We sit next to each other in the House. Naturally, he had invited me to dinner. When two people sit together, discussions on social and political issues are bound to take place.”
On Nagendra Roy’s anger towards the state BJP, Bhattacharya chose a measured tone.
“Today, I do not want to make any comment on this matter. He certainly has certain emotions, and he was hurt on some issues. We have spoken among ourselves. Earlier, Rajnath Singh had spoken to him, as had SS Ahluwalia. The Prime Minister and the home minister have also spoken to him. Discussions will continue in the coming days.”
Shifting the focus to the broader regional sentiment, Bhattacharya stressed that the issue was not centred on individuals.
“This is not about what he wants or what we want. The people of Cooch Behar have a distinct emotion. They have their problems, and they also possess a proud and glorious history ~ from Bir Chila Roy to later periods. Unfortunately, some names have been erased from the pages of history. This is the distorted Indian history that we repeatedly talk about,” he said.
He added that the party has a long-term roadmap on this issue.
“Our future plan is not based on the emotions or demands of any individual or any Maharaja. One thing must be clear, the nation’s pride and the makers of this region’s history were written out of history for standing on the opposite side,” said Mr Bhattacharya.
On the contentious demand for Union Territory status, Bhattacharya struck a cautious note.
“I do not have the authority to comment on this matter. He has informed me of certain issues. I will convey them at the highest level. As per normal procedure, discussions and meetings with the leadership will take place.”
As political temperatures rise in North Bengal, the BJP’s effort to pacify Nagendra Roy underscores the strategic importance of Cooch Behar in the 2026 Assembly elections.