DNA TV Show: Why BJP wants North Bengal to be part of North East

There is news of dividing West Bengal into two parts. This has led to a war between BJP and TMC in West Bengal. Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar had talked about separating North Bengal and adding it to the North-East. He claims that by doing this, the pace of development in North Bengal will increase. Sukanta Majumdar claimed that he has also talked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about this. There is a political uproar over this statement of dividing Bengal into two parts, everyone has different opinions about it.

Now the question is why has BJP suddenly raised this issue. There is a well-thought-out politics and strategy of the BJP behind this. If seen politically, North Bengal is a stronghold of BJP. Eight districts from Malda to Cooch Behar come in North Bengal. There are 8 Lok Sabha seats in these districts. BJP got one seat here in 2014, 7 in 2019 and 6 in 2024. In the 2021 Assembly elections, BJP won 30 out of 56 seats in North Bengal.

Historically, there has been a demand to make this region Gorkhaland. This region is very important from a strategic point of view. The 'Chicken Neck' region connecting India to the North East states is located here. The borders of the North-East states including West Bengal are connected to China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan.

This Chicken Neck land is the supply line of the North-East states. It is believed that if North Bengal gets connected to the North East, then this region will gain economic importance which will strengthen this region.