The political temperature in Cooch Behar has reached a boiling point ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mega rally at Ras Mela Ground. All eyes are on whether two influential and traditionally rival Rajbanshi leaders—Ananta Maharaj and Banshibadan Barman—will share the same stage. This unprecedented union, if it happens, is being hailed as a major strategic “masterstroke” by the BJP ahead of the elections.

Shifting Allegiances: The political landscape in North Bengal has seen a dramatic flip. While Ananta Maharaj was once a BJP ally, Banshibadan Barman operated under the TMC umbrella. Today, the tables have turned: Banshibadan has joined the saffron camp, while Ananta Maharaj, despite being a BJP MP, accepted the TMC government’s ‘Banga Bibhushan’ award. In a significant move, two Union Ministers close to Amit Shah personally visited Maharaj to invite him to the rally, an invitation he has accepted.

The Prime Minister’s Schedule: PM Modi is scheduled to land at Hasimara Airbase around 3:10 PM on Sunday. From there, he will travel to Cooch Behar via helicopter and reach the venue by road. Seeing these two powerhouse leaders of the ‘Greater Cooch Behar’ movement together on a single platform could redefine the electoral math of North Bengal.