Courtesy call amid campaign heat, Cooch Behar TMC candidate pays surprise visit to BJP MLA's home
Telegraph | 13 April 2026
Amid a volatile and often violent campaign ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, a moment of political courtesy stood out in Cooch Behar on Saturday.
Abhijit De Bhowmik, the Trinamool candidate of Cooch Behar South Assembly seat and the party’s district president, while campaigning in ward II of the town, paid a surprise visit to the residence of outgoing BJP MLA Nikhil Ranjan Dey.
The courtesy call occurred hours after allegations surfaced that a BJP panchayat member’s house in Chandamari was attacked, vandalised and looted by Trinamool workers.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, Dey had defeated Bhowmik from the same constituency by a margin of 4,931 votes. The BJP did not field Dey as a candidate this time. However, he remains an influential BJP leader in the area and is actively campaigning for the party’s current candidate Rathindranath Bose.
Despite being on opposing sides, the two leaders shared a brief interaction, exchanging pleasantries.
Bhowmick even sought Dey’s vote, explaining: “The beauty of democracy is such that it allows us to seek votes from everyone.”
“Nikhilbabu is both a voter and a respected leader of this constituency, so I came to meet him (at his residence) and exchange greetings. He also conveyed his greetings,” Bhowmik added.
Reciprocating the gesture, Dey said: “Our political ideologies are different, but maintaining personal relationships and courtesy is part of our culture. Electoral contests will continue, but civility should not be lost.”
While Dey campaigns for Basu, Bhowmik, as the district Trinamool president, is leading the Trinamool campaign in the Cooch Behar South Assembly constituency and the district as a whole.