Royal descendant picked for post

Kumar Supriya Narayan. Picture by Main Uddin Chisti

TT, Cooch Behar: The Mamata Banerjee government has announced Kumar Supriya Narayan, a descendant of the Cooch Behar royal family, as one of the vice-chairpersons of the West Bengal Rajbanshi Development & Cultural Board.

A notification to this effect was issued by the principal secretary of the state backward classes welfare department on July 31. This is the first time in recent times that a descendant of the Koch kings has been nominated to a government body.

"The board has been re-constituted and Bangshibadan Burman has been made its new chairman. It was announced by the chief minister on July 8," said a source in the administration.

Bangshibadan, a leader of the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples' Association, was earlier a vice-chairman of the board and was elevated to the chairman's post. The board was formed on June last year.

"Bangshibadan and his followers had demanded that he be made the chairman and the state fulfiled it. The strategy is to ensure that Bangshibadan does not tilt towards the BJP and stop him from reviving the demand of separate state," said an observer.

By including Supriya in the board, the government wants to send a message that it is giving due recognition to the royal descendants, he added.

"The royal family still holds a special place in the minds of most residents of Cooch Behar. Also, there are many families who are known to be descendants of the kings. It seems Trinamul wants to placate the grievance that the government is ignoring the royals and simultaneously consolidate its support base ahead of Lok Sabha elections," said the observer.

Supriya, who is a member of the Consortium of Koch Royal Dynasty that was formed at a meeting held in Guwahati in September 2015, is elated.

"It is nice that the chief minister has made the decision to include me in the board. I will work for conservation of culture and heritage of Cooch Behar," he said.

He is the grandson of Kumar Dwijendra Narayan, a cousin of Jagaddipendra Narayan, the last king of Cooch Behar. Jagaddipendranarayan was also the brother of Gayatri Devi, the queen of Jaipur.

In Cooch Behar, the Rajbanshi population is above 50 per cent and there is a minority population of around 27 per cent.

"But most minorities here are associated with the Rajbanshi culture and traditions. Their language and practices are mostly similar. In the recent elections, the BJP surpassed the Left and Congress and emerged as the second major political force in the district. In such a situation, Trinamul does not want to take any risk and is exploring all options to consolidate Rajbanshi votes," said a political analyst.