A historic Durga temple in Asansol, West Bengal, has officially "re-opened" for daily worship under the direction of the Shri Shri Durgamata Charitable Trust, BJP leader Nilu Chakraborty said on Tuesday.
The temple, which had remained shut for several years, was previously only accessible to devotees during major festivals like Durga Puja and Kali Puja.
Chakraborty, a member of the temple committee, alleged that the outgoing Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration’s "anti-Hindu" stance was responsible for the prolonged closure of the temple.
Following the BJP’s landmark victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, Chakraborty announced that the temple's doors are now permanently open. He emphasised that the temple will conduct daily prayers and rituals.
This reopening marks a significant symbolic shift for the local community in the wake of the recent political transition in the state.
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"After so many days, the temple has reopened, and all the Hindus in Asansol are happy... For a long time, we used to repeatedly tell the leaders of Delhi in meetings that a Hindu temple is here, but except for Durga Puja and Kali Puja, no one allows any puja to happen," the BJP leader said.
"The previous government was a completely anti-Hindu government, but today, when all the Hindus in Bengal voted for the BJP, the BJP has come to power, and this temple has reopened," he added.
BJP's victory in West Bengal marks a significant moment for the party as it has been for long a marginal player in the state dominated for years by the Congress, Left parties and later Trinamool Congress.
The BJP won 206 seats in the state, performing way better than in the 2021 assembly elections, in which they won 77 seats. Trinamool Congress, which swept the last assembly poll by winning 212 seats, finished a distant second with 80 seats and is leading in one seat.
Despite the BJP's sweeping victory, the vote share revealed a more competitive undercurrent. The party secured 45.84 per cent of the vote, while the TMC followed closely with 40.80 per cent, highlighting that the electoral battle remained fiercely contested at the grassroots level.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the BJP's sweeping victory in West Bengal as a "historic fulfilment" of the dream of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee. For the BJP, this win transcends politics; it is the ultimate validation of their founder's mission to secure and prosper the state.
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