While she waits for a portfolio, Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee is warming to the Sangh Parivar. Earlier this week, at a function on the release of Communist Atankwad, a book compiled by Tarun Vijay, editor of RSS mouthpiece Panchajanya, she sought the help of the RSS to throw the Marxists out of Bengal. And this Durga Puja, if the West Bengal state BJP has its way, Didi might be seen inaugurating stalls, selling this book along with other saffron publications. For, keeping the general elections due next year in mind, during this puja starting October 1, the state BJP is going to do what the CPI(M) has been doing for ages — set up at various puja pandals in Kolkata and district towns. These puja pandals will sell not only saffron literature but also put up graphs, depicting population ratio of different communities, achievements of the Central government, among other things.‘‘Elections are due next year and we will have to project the issues related to Hindutva. The CPI(M) has successfully used puja pandals so far to spread their cause and we have realised it, though, I admit, a little late,’’ Rahul Sinha, a state BJP general secretary said.Sinha says various issues related to Hindutva have cropped up recently — the ASI report on Ayodhya, Supreme Court verdict on Common Civil Code, Infiltration from Bangladesh — and the BJP is keen on highlighting these issues during the pujas. ‘‘We will invite not only our own leaders, but leaders of Trinamool Congress, like Mamata Banerjee, to inaugurate the stalls. Puja pandals in Kolkata are the best place for PR exercise,’’ Sinha added. Tathagata Roy, state BJP president said the stalls would not only sell saffron literature but they would be platforms to rope in new members for the party.
