Sat Feb 22 04:15:47 UTC 2025: ## West Bengal Congress Leader Praises Gangasagar Mela Arrangements, Criticizes Maha Kumbh
**Kolkata, February 22, 2025** – West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar has praised the state government’s handling of the Gangasagar Mela, contrasting it sharply with the arrangements at the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh. Sarkar, who has adopted a more conciliatory tone towards the ruling Trinamool Congress than his predecessor, highlighted the “active and well-prepared” administration evident at the Gangasagar Mela.
He criticized the Uttar Pradesh government’s management of the Maha Kumbh, alleging poor arrangements and accusing the Yogi Adityanath-led government of using the religious event for political gain. This comes after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the Maha Kumbh, referring to it as “Mrityu Kumbh” (death kumbh) due to perceived lack of planning.
However, BJP MLA and Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari dismissed Sarkar’s praise as an attempt to curry favor with Chief Minister Banerjee to secure a seat in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. The BJP has already staged protests against Banerjee’s comments regarding the Maha Kumbh. The Trinamool Congress has announced its intention to contest the 2026 elections independently.
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