In a significant display of political mobilisation, Matua community representatives gathered in front of the Raj Bhavan on Sunday in the presence of several community members carrying their community flags in the backdrop of political tension.
There has been a tussle betweentherulingTrinamul Congress ( TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the amended citizenship law (CAA).

While both parties claimed to work towards addressing the concerns of the Matua community, the amended citizenship law remains inef- fective, leaving many Matua community members dissatisfied.

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This dissatisfaction has created an atmosphere of discontent that the BJP seeks to capitalise on. On Monday, Sukanta Majumdar, the state president of the BJP, is set to visit Thakunagar.

While he downplayed the significance of his visit, referring to it as a courtesy call, sources within the BJP have revealed that Sukanta Majumdar is expected to arrive in Thakurnagar at 5pm, hinting at political discussions to follow.

Local BJP leader Subrata Thakur will also be present at the meeting, and the partic- ipation of Shantanu Thakur, the Member of Parliament from Bongaon and central minister, remains unconfirmed.

The Matua community holds a significant electoral influence, as seen in previous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
However, their impact on the local panchayat elections has been less pronounced, and internal conflicts among Matua groups have posed challenges for the BJP in these areas.
Despite repeated assurances from the central government, the amended citi- zenship law has yet to be implemented effectively.

The BJP’s efforts to win over Matua votes have faced resist- ance in the face of this unful- filled promise.
Recently, Mamatabala Thakur, former TMC MP and daughter-in-law of Binapani Devi, known as Barama at Thakurnagar, led a gathering in Kolkata on 3 October. Although the event did not make significant headlines, it hinted at the Matua com- munity’s growing political engagement.

As the state BJP leadership continues to lobby for Matua community support, the effec- tiveness of these efforts remains to be seen.
The Matua community’s votes are a crucial factor in Bengal politics and Sukanta Majumdar’s visit to Thakurnagar on Monday may provide further insights into the BJP’s strategy in courting this influential community.