Kolendranath Mandi, a member of the Purulia Zilla Parishad from Trinamool, switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kolkata. He made his move official at the state BJP office in Salt Lake, Kolkata, in the presence of state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and Purulia MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato. Mandi, a notable figure in Santali literature, has been actively involved in literary pursuits since 1978, focusing on poetry, short stories, plays, and essays. He is also known for his research in Santali linguistics.
Having contested and won a seat in the 2023 Panchayat elections on a Trinamool ticket from Bandwan block in Purulia district, Mandi has a history of advocating against social issues like witch-hunting. His literary works are part of the curriculum at Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University and Jhargram Sadhu Ramchand Murmu University. Mandi was honored with the prestigious Bangabhushan award by the Mamata Banerjee government last February.
Jyotirmay Mahato, a BJP MP, emphasized Mandi’s significance as a leader in the Jangalmahal region and a strong advocate for tribal language and culture. Mahato highlighted Mandi’s move to the BJP as a crucial message to the tribal communities in Jangalmahal, signaling a new direction for the indigenous population. He criticized the Trinamool government for neglecting the tribal community, alleging underdevelopment and deprivation under their rule.
Mahato further expressed discontent over the alleged disrespect shown by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government towards the first tribal President of India, Droupadi Murmu. He suggested that this sentiment could impact the upcoming Assembly elections. Notably, Ajit Mahato, a key figure in the Kurmi movement, had previously joined the BJP, with his son Rajesh now contesting from the Gopiballavpur constituency in Jhargram district. Additionally, the BJP has nominated Biswajit Mahato, another Kurmi movement leader and Ajit’s close associate, as its candidate for the Joypur Assembly seat in Purulia.
