States » EastPosted at: Oct 8 2026 4:07PM


Bengal: BJP’s ‘NaMo Malls’ offer Puja shopping at Rs 10

Kolkata, Oct 8 (UNI) Ahead of the Kolkata and Howrah municipal elections and just before Durga Puja, the Bengal BJP has rolled out what party leaders describe as a “masterstroke” — temporary "NaMo Malls" across the state, offering Puja clothes to the poor and ordinary people for as little as Rs 10.
The initiative was launched at Panihati near HB Town in North 24 Parganas on Thursday, where former Bengal BJP state president and union Minister Sukanta Majumdar inaugurated a temporary NaMo Mall. From the morning, the outlet drew a steady stream of people, with buyers queuing up to purchase clothes and other items ahead of the festive season.
“These are temporary malls. They are not permanent luxury shopping malls, but temporary stalls set up for the convenience of ordinary people during the festive season,” Majumdar said.
According to state BJP sources, no permanent NaMo Shopping Mall has been opened anywhere in Bengal. Instead, the party has decided to set up temporary NaMo Malls in districts across the state during the Puja season.
The initiative has been linked by the BJP to the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’, launched to mark a special anniversary in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political journey. The party is seeking to give the programme a welfare-oriented character by making new clothes available to economically weaker sections at a nominal price.
State industry minister Tapas Roy said the NaMo Malls were essentially intended as a Puja gift for ordinary people.
The initiative also comes at a politically significant moment. With the Kolkata and Howrah municipal elections approaching, the BJP is looking to expand its contact with voters beyond conventional rallies and organisational programmes. The temporary malls are being used as an avenue for direct public outreach, particularly among lower-income households.
Party sources said the programme would be taken to different districts in accordance with the state BJP’s plan, allowing people to purchase festive clothing at heavily subsidised prices. The organisers believe the initiative will help connect the BJP’s political messaging with a tangible service during the festive season.
The NaMo Mall concept also fits into the BJP’s wider emphasis on ‘Swadeshi’, ‘Vocal for Local’ and self-reliance. While the Panihati outlet has attracted attention primarily because of its low-cost Puja offerings, the party sees such initiatives as a way of combining political outreach with its larger message of "Atmanirbhar Bharat".
The sight of people lining up at Panihati from Thursday morning has given the Bengal BJP an early indication of the public response.
For the party, the temporary NaMo Malls are therefore not merely festive stalls. They are also an attempt to turn service and consumer outreach into a political contact programme in Bengal ahead of the civic polls.
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