BJP’s Bengal Victory: What Changes For Odisha?

The recent BJP win in West Bengal must be music to the ear of the Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The end of 15-year rule of Mamata Banerjee’s TMC government means the end of perpetual potato shortage crises in Odisha and prices getting stabilised. Political observers say Odisha-Bengal re-alignment also means settling border disputes and help build coastal belt development in Eastern India and also bring out a comprehensive plan to further develop an interstate trade as well. The most significant point emerging now is the potential of new BJP government in West Bengal to address the misuse of Lord Jagannath name. The controversy was generated by Mamata Banerjee’s TMC government by erecting Lord Jagannath Temple in Digha, West Bengal. This saw the influx of Bengali tourists to Odisha drastically falling. The rumour is the new BJP Bengal headed by Suvendu Adhikari may consider modifying the nomenclature of the Digha temple suitably by removing the name Dham. With a BJP government in Bengal many in Odisha believe the long-standing Puri Temple name and logo controversy between Odisha and West Bengal would finally see a solution soon.

Sangram Mohanty