The tension has made Bagda and Gaighata in the Bongaon subdivision among the most closely watched constituencies in the second phase of the polls on April 29. (Representational image)
| Photo Credit: PTI
In Matua strongholds Bagda and Gaighata in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district bordering Bangladesh, the election has slipped beyond the familiar BJP-TMC duel.
The battle now runs through the divided Matua first family, with brothers, wives and cousins contesting from rival camps, while the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has stirred fresh anxieties among refugee Hindus who once voted together.
Matuas, originally from East Pakistan, are Hindus who migrated to India during the Partition and after the creation of Bangladesh.
Published – April 25, 2026 06:28 pm IST
