Bengal Elections 2026 | In North Bengal, A Tight Race For Rajbangshi Votes

713 km from Kolkata, Ashokbari near Cooch Behar sits at the heart of North Bengal’s Rajbangshi belt, a crucial vote bank in the state elections. Once a dominant community, many now struggle with low incomes from tobacco farming, earning barely ₹3,000–₹4,000 a month. As the BJP and the TMC intensify outreach, voters speak of crop losses, unemployment and unmet promises. While some back Prime Minister Narendra Modi, others credit Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s welfare schemes. NDTV’s Rittick Mondal reports from the ground, where economic distress and livelihood concerns are shaping the political mood ahead of the Bengal polls.