Watch: Mamata Banerjee dances with tribals in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was seen dancing with tribals in Jalpaiguri district as she visited the area following a storm to take stock of the situation.
In a video shared by news agency ANI, Mamata Banerjee was observed dancing among tribal women, who flanked her on both sides, attempting to synchronise with their dance movements. As the video progresses, she engages in conversation with the women while tribal music, accompanied by drumbeats played by men, fills the background. Towards the conclusion, she even attempts to play the drums, as captured in the footage.
Following the cyclone’s impact on West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri, Mamata Banerjee visited cyclone victims at the Jalpaiguri Super Specialty Hospital Sunday night. The sudden storm and heavy rain caused havoc in Jalpaiguri town and surrounding areas, resulting in the deaths of at least five people and leaving over 200 homeless.
Taking to social media platform X, she wrote, “Sad to know that sudden heavy rainfall and stormy winds brought disasters today afternoon in some Jalpaiguri-Mainaguri areas, with loss of human lives, injuries, house damages, uprooting of trees and electricity poles, etc.”
The constituency, encompassing six assembly seats in Jalpaiguri district and one in Cooch Behar, is set for polling on April 19 in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election.
Jalpaiguri is primarily inhabited by Koch Rajbongshis (about 30%), tribals (over 10%), Nepali speakers (around 4.5%), Hindi-speaking individuals (nearly 3%), and Limbu (1.9%), according to news agency PTI. The rest of the population are Muslims, Hindus, and others.
The political spectrum features candidates from SUCI(C), BSP, and the Kamatapur People’s Party (United), showcasing diverse political engagement.
Historically, the constituency saw Congress dominance until 1971, when it was replaced by CPI(M), and until 2009 when TMC took over. In 2019, the BJP claimed the seat. While running for re-election, the current MP Jayanta Kumar Roy of BJP emphasised his endeavours for constituency progress “despite obstacles and state cooperation hurdles.”
As a medical professional, Roy advocates for establishing a “super-speciality hospital” in the district to serve those who travel outside the state for medical emergencies.
(With ANI, PTI inputs)