Purulia: In 2019, BJP won the Purulia Lok Sabha seat for the first time, heralding a new era of political shift in a constituency which was largely dominated by the Left parties and later Trinamool. Purulia is special for BJP because it is the only Lok Sabha seat in Jungle Mahal region where the party repeated its success in 2024.
In the 2021 assembly elections, BJP surprised everyone by winning six of the nine seats with the remaining won by Trinamool. Purulia is the district bordering Jharkhand and the entry point of Jungle Mahal. With a sizeable Kurmi (around 30%) and tribal population (11-12%) and minority votes (8%), BJP has been quick to strengthen its presence here over the past 5-6 years. The saffron surge is clearly visible with posters of BJP and appeal to join ABVP almost everywhere in the district.
Trinamool tried to make a comeback in the 2024 Lok Sabha election by significantly reducing the BJP victory margin from 2 lakh in the 2019 LS election to 17,000. Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee has set a target of winning all nine seats in the Purulia district, while the BJP is pushing to improve its gains. BJP has also changed its MLAs on three seats -- Raghunathpur, Balarampur and Joypur. Talk of SIR is not much visible in Purulia and hence the focus is largely on issues like unemployment, agrarian distress and stalled projects. There is also a strong sense of anti-incumbency against Trinamool government among voters. "This government has been here for 15 years. 'Porivorton' (change) is a must. Purulia has no industry despite being at the centre of industrial areas like Jamshedpur, Dhanbad and Bokaro in Jharkhand," Chittaranjan Baori, a small businessman in Indkuri, Manbazar, told ET.
"Voter deletions are negligible here. It is mostly the people who died, who have been deleted in Purulia," says Ramesh Pramanik, BJP Yuva Morcha state secretary and in-charge of Purulia district. "The youth of Purulia go to other states for work and that is the biggest issue we are focusing on." For Trinamool, the government schemes are a big talking point. "BJP is making women sign forms with a promise that they will pay Rs 3,000 per month once they come to power. We are convincing them that BJP will even stop Rs,1500 given by Mamata Didi. So, many leaders from Delhi and other states are coming to remove one CM, who wears a Hawai chappal. Didi is taller than all BJP leaders," Biswajit Mahato, Trinamool Bara Bazar block president told ET.
Trinamool realises this and the government recently started 'Yuva Sathi' scheme which provides ₹1,500 per month to the unemployed and educated youth. BJP, in its manifesto, promised to provide ₹3,000 to the unemployed youth till the time they don't get a job in the state. Trinamool is also banking on Laxmi Bhandar scheme offering financial support of ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per month to women. BJP has promised to double the amount to ₹3,000 per month.
Purulia is a test case for Trinamool and BJP. For Trinamool, registering a gain from the last election is important to control BJP's surge. For BJP, Purulia signifies strength on which it can build up its state-wise electoral ambition. In any case, Purulia must deliver.
In the 2021 assembly elections, BJP surprised everyone by winning six of the nine seats with the remaining won by Trinamool. Purulia is the district bordering Jharkhand and the entry point of Jungle Mahal. With a sizeable Kurmi (around 30%) and tribal population (11-12%) and minority votes (8%), BJP has been quick to strengthen its presence here over the past 5-6 years. The saffron surge is clearly visible with posters of BJP and appeal to join ABVP almost everywhere in the district.
Trinamool tried to make a comeback in the 2024 Lok Sabha election by significantly reducing the BJP victory margin from 2 lakh in the 2019 LS election to 17,000. Trinamool leader Abhishek Banerjee has set a target of winning all nine seats in the Purulia district, while the BJP is pushing to improve its gains. BJP has also changed its MLAs on three seats -- Raghunathpur, Balarampur and Joypur. Talk of SIR is not much visible in Purulia and hence the focus is largely on issues like unemployment, agrarian distress and stalled projects. There is also a strong sense of anti-incumbency against Trinamool government among voters. "This government has been here for 15 years. 'Porivorton' (change) is a must. Purulia has no industry despite being at the centre of industrial areas like Jamshedpur, Dhanbad and Bokaro in Jharkhand," Chittaranjan Baori, a small businessman in Indkuri, Manbazar, told ET.
"Voter deletions are negligible here. It is mostly the people who died, who have been deleted in Purulia," says Ramesh Pramanik, BJP Yuva Morcha state secretary and in-charge of Purulia district. "The youth of Purulia go to other states for work and that is the biggest issue we are focusing on." For Trinamool, the government schemes are a big talking point. "BJP is making women sign forms with a promise that they will pay Rs 3,000 per month once they come to power. We are convincing them that BJP will even stop Rs,1500 given by Mamata Didi. So, many leaders from Delhi and other states are coming to remove one CM, who wears a Hawai chappal. Didi is taller than all BJP leaders," Biswajit Mahato, Trinamool Bara Bazar block president told ET.
Trinamool realises this and the government recently started 'Yuva Sathi' scheme which provides ₹1,500 per month to the unemployed and educated youth. BJP, in its manifesto, promised to provide ₹3,000 to the unemployed youth till the time they don't get a job in the state. Trinamool is also banking on Laxmi Bhandar scheme offering financial support of ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per month to women. BJP has promised to double the amount to ₹3,000 per month.
Purulia is a test case for Trinamool and BJP. For Trinamool, registering a gain from the last election is important to control BJP's surge. For BJP, Purulia signifies strength on which it can build up its state-wise electoral ambition. In any case, Purulia must deliver.
