Who Is Ananta Rai, The 'Maharaj' Of 'Cooch Behar' Who Wants A Separate State And BJP's Rajya Sabha Pick From Bengal?

Cooch Behar/ Kolkata: Ananta Rai 'Maharaj', who has been demanding that a separate state of 'Greater Cooch Behar' be carved out of West Bengal, has claimed that he has been ''offered'' a Rajya Sabha ticket by the BJP. Ananta Rai, who has adopted the title of 'Maharaj,' said this after meeting Union MoS for Home and BJP MP of Cooch Behar Nisith Pramanik. The meeting reportedly took place at the residence of Ananta Rai. "I have been given an offer (for Rajya Sabha). They said they were considering my name. I am not opposed to it. Let's see what happens," Ananta told reporters with Pramanik by his side. In his turn, Pramanik said the decision would benefit the entire state if people like him go to Parliament.

"We want someone from Cooch Behar like Ananta Maharaj, who works for the development of the people, to be sent to the Upper House. But I cannot comment until the list is out as nothing is final. Let the names be announced officially," he said.

Who Is Ananta Rai 'Maharaj'?

Ananta Rai took on the title of ‘maharaja’ 18 years ago. He calls himself the Maharaja of Cooch Behar, an erstwhile kingdom that ceded its powers and became part of the Indian Union in 1950. He heads the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples' Association (GCPA), which is working with the sole objective of getting the Greater Cooch Behar area of West Bengal recognised as a separate state or Union Territory. 

Why Is BJP Offering RS Berth To Ananta Rai?

Ananta Rai - the self-proclaimed king of the district - has been demanding that a separate state be carved out of northern West Bengal. The man holds considerable influence over the Koch-Rajbongshi community and claims to have over 18 lakh followers. Mainly because of his clout, Union Home Minister Amit Shah came to meet Rai in 2021. The two discussed statehood and Narayani Sena over a breakfast comprising coconut laddoos and patishapta. When Rai flew in with Shah on board the helicopter, the Cooch Behar Rash Mela Ground was flooded with the colour of the Koch-Rajbongshi flag. By projecting Rai as its Rajya Sabha candidate, the saffron party possibly wants to consolidate the Rajbongshi vote in the upcoming polls.

Rajya Sabha Polls In West Bengal

Six Rajya Sabha seats from West Bengal will go to the polls on July 24, besides, the bypoll will also be held in another seat from the state. With its eight districts, including picturesque Darjeeling, north Bengal is economically important for the state for its tea, timber and tourism industries. 

The region, which shares a border with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, has witnessed several violent statehood movements since the early eighties by various ethnic groups such as Gorkhas, Rajbanshis, Kochs and Kamatapuris. Several BJP MPs and MLAs from the region have advocated that a separate state or Union territory be carved out with these eight districts. However, the state BJP has maintained that it does not support such demands.

Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress has already announced its candidates for the six Rajya Sabha seats. Among them were Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Dola Sen. O'Brien, an MP since 2011, is the TMC's leader in Rajya Sabha, while Ray, who was first sent to the Upper House of Parliament in 2012, is the deputy chief whip. Sen, a senior leader and trade unionist, became an MP in 2017.

The newcomers on the list were Bangla Sanskriti Mancha president Samirul Islam, TMC's Alipurduar district president Prakash Chik Baraik, and RTI activist and TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale. The bypoll will be held in another seat as former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro resigned as a TMC MP in April. The TMC has 216 MLAs in the 294-member assembly and enjoys the support of five BJP MLAs, who switched over to the ruling party but are yet to resign from the House. The BJP has a strength of 70 in the assembly.

As per the numbers in the assembly, TMC will get six of these seven Rajya Sabha seats and the BJP one.