For Karl Marx, religion was the opium of the masses. But for the political parties in West Bengal — even for the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) — it is a straw to clutch in on the do-or-die election battle.
As the state is high on poll fever, both the CPM and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are trying to woo the Matua community, which is a deciding factor in more than 74 constituencies. It has more than 12 million followers in West Bengal and around 40 million across the country. When the Left front government tried to impress them with sops, the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had herself became a follower and became the chief patron of the All India Matua Mahasabha in 2010.
Moreover, the TMC is fielding Manjulkrishna Thakur — the son of Binapani Devi (Boroma), the 92-year-old spiritual leader of Matua Mahasabha —from Gaighata constituency in North 24 Parganas. This is supposed to swing majority of Matua votes in favour of the TMC. Matuas are scheduled castes or scheduled tribes, who mainly live in eight districts of Bengal — Howrah, North and South 24-Parganas, Nadia, Cooch Behar, Malda, South Dinajpur and North Dinajpur.
“The votes of our community would be the deciding factor during this election. For years, political parties didn’t listen to our necessities. Now, Didi has become a part of us and is working for the overall development of Matuas. Our votes are crucial in atleast 78 assembly seats. About 50 per cent of voters in my seat are Matuas,” Thakur said. The Railways minister had even shared a dias with Boroma. She promised to upgrade the Thakurnagar railway station, build a stadium and a railway hospital.
Earlier, the community was a vote bank for the left parties, but in 2008 Panchayat polls and 2009 Lok Sabha polls, those votes shifted in favour of Trinamool and it reflected in the results. The Left promised them a college and a function in the state capital to recognize the contribution of the Thakur family, the founding family of Matuas. The state government has also offered the Matua Mahasangha 20 cottah of land to build a research oganisation and instituted a scholarship in the name of Harichand Thakur, its founder.
To counter the Trinamool’s tactics, leaders of different political parties like Biman Bose and Brinda Karat of the CPM and Manas Bhunia, president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress had visited Baroma. Infact, CPM stalwart Goutam Deb and the TMC leader Mukul Roy even shared a dias together with Baroma late last year.
Though tried to nullify the impact of Matuas in the elections, Manoj Kanti Biswas, the CPM candidate in Gaighata also seemed to be on defence and attacked Banerjee’s moves. “I am also a Matua. Though Matuas are a majority in this part of the state, it hardly matters in election. People from all communities are supporting me. The TMC leader is somebody who changes colours according to the situation. In Muslim, areas she becomes Muslim and in Matua area she is one among us. But she is failing to understand that ultimately the colour of blood is what matters,” Biswas said.
As parties fight for their share of votes, people hope that promises will turn to reality once elections are over.
