Kamtapur Progressive Party Sets Sights on 2026 Polls, Vows to Challenge TMC

 Plans Major Election Push in North Bengal, Demands Greater Regional Recognition

KalimNews, Cooch Behar, December 11, 2025: The Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP) on Thursday revealed its intention to contest the upcoming elections by fielding candidates in 54 Assembly constituencies across North Bengal, as well as select seats in Assam. The announcement, made during a press conference held in Cooch Behar, signals the KPP's determination to challenge both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the upcoming 2026 elections. The press briefing was addressed by KPP central secretary Santosh Barman and the party's Cooch Behar district president Bhanu Barman.

Santosh Barman used the occasion to voice concerns about what he termed as regional imbalances and perceived neglect of North Bengal by the state government. Specifically, he raised questions about the decision to declare a holiday on the birth anniversary of regional hero Chila Rai. While acknowledging the Chief Minister's gesture, he remarked, “Two days ago, the state government declared a holiday on the birth anniversary of our hero Chila Rai. We thank the Chief Minister for this, but why only in North Bengal? Why not in South Bengal? This shows that the Chief Minister treats North and South Bengal as separate entities.” Barman's remarks seemed to echo growing sentiment in North Bengal regarding the region's marginalisation in comparison to the rest of the state.

In addition to the holiday issue, the KPP leader criticised the creation of separate academies for the Rajbanshi and Kamtapur languages. Barman claimed that despite supporting Mamata Banerjee’s government in the previous Assembly elections, the party had seen little progress on promises made to the Kamtapur community. “We supported the Chief Minister in the last elections, where she promised a Kamtapur Autonomous Council. Yet, there has been no progress on this front. We demand the inclusion of the Kamtapur language in school textbooks and at least one teacher in every school that serves Kamtapur and Rajbanshi communities. If these demands are ignored, we will reconsider our support in the 2026 elections,” Barman added.

The KPP's frustration extended beyond state-level concerns. Barman also sharply criticised the Central government for its failure to meet earlier promises regarding the recognition of the Kamtapur language. He pointed to recent statements from a Central minister who confirmed that Kamtapur would not be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, which grants official status to languages. In response, Barman outlined a series of protests and rallies planned across the region to amplify the KPP's demands, including a rally in Maynaguri on December 16, a sit-in in Dhubri and other Assam districts on December 20, a rally in Alipurduar on December 24, and another in Cooch Behar on December 28.

The KPP’s campaign is now set to focus on both regional issues and broader political challenges. The party’s announcement to field candidates in 54 constituencies represents a concerted effort to challenge the dominant political forces in North Bengal, particularly the TMC, which has strong support in the region.

In response to the KPP's allegations, TMC spokesperson Parth Pratim Roy expressed his party's stance, stating, “Everyone is free to contest elections independently. However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s work for the Rajbanshi community is unprecedented, from naming a medical college after the Maharaja to establishing schools and other facilities.”

As the political climate in North Bengal intensifies ahead of the 2026 elections, the KPP's bold move to contest a significant number of seats and challenge the existing political establishment is sure to reshape the landscape of the region's electoral politics.