Puri, April 11 Campaign posters written in Bengali and appealing to voters in West Bengal have appeared throughout this coastal pilgrimage town in Odisha, drawing criticism over the alleged politicization of the sacred place.
The posters, put up by the ruling BJP and bearing the party's "lotus" symbol, urge devotees of Lord Jagannath to support the saffron party in West Bengal, which goes to the polls in two phases on April 23 and 29.
The campaign materials have been strategically placed in high-traffic locations such as the beach, bus stand, railway station, and the Grand Road near the Jagannath temple, which is frequented by pilgrims and tourists.
The Swargadwar cremation ground area, often referred to as "mini-Bengal" due to the presence of Bengali shopkeepers and visitors, has also seen such posters.
The campaign materials target Bengali tourists, urging them to vote for the BJP in the upcoming West Bengal elections.
Some tourists expressed disapproval of the campaign.
"We have come to Puri to escape the election campaign and for relaxation. The primary objective is to pay homage to Lord Jagannath," said Protima Basu, a visitor.
The development has also not gone down well with the opposition BJD.
"I was born and raised in this town, but I have never seen Bengali election posters being pasted on the walls of Puri. The BJP is misusing the pilgrimage town. Puri is one of the sacred four 'dhams' of the Hindus and should be kept out of politics," BJD Rajya Sabha MP Subhasish Khuntia said.
He also urged the Odisha government to remove the posters and maintain the town's sanctity.
A section of the locals echoed similar concerns.
Rathindra Mishra, a resident of the town, said it was for the first time that a political party from another state had used the town for election campaigning.
The BJP, which came to power in Odisha in 2024, defeating the BJD, however, does not see anything wrong in it.
"There is nothing wrong with putting up posters in Puri or other places where Bengal voters frequently visit. It has nothing to do with religion," state BJP spokesperson Manoj Mohapatra told