States » EastPosted at: Oct 23 2026 6:59PM


BJP bookstalls record sales of over Rs 2 crore during Durga Puja in Bengal

Kolkata, Oct 23 (UNI) Bookstalls set up by the BJP and various organisations aligned with the saffron camp recorded sales exceeding Rs 2 crore across West Bengal during Durga Puja, marking a significant rise in demand for political literature during the first Durga Puja under the BJP government in the state.
Books on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, were among the bestsellers, according to BJP leaders. Publications chronicling Modi's 25 years in public life as an administrator, along with biographies of Mookerjee and accounts of his political philosophy and contribution to the Kashmir issue, attracted considerable interest.
Around 2,500 bookstalls were set up by the saffron camp across the state, including more than 200 within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area. The stalls were positioned near major Durga Puja pandals to reach visitors during the festive season.
Amitabh Roy, BJP state vice-president in charge of the party's bookstalls during the Puja, said sales had risen substantially compared with previous years.
"Bookstalls were set up in front of every major Puja pandal. Across the party's 40 organisational districts, books worth Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh were sold per district. Individuals and various organisations also purchased books worth Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 each, which were subsequently sold. In all, sales exceeded Rs 2 crore," Roy said.
Saptarshi Choudhury, the party's literature in-charge, said publications on Modi and Mookerjee had attracted considerable demand. Party journals and other periodicals also sold well, he added.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya visited several party bookstalls during the festivities. He also visited a stall organised on the premises of the Tala Barowari Durga Puja, an initiative of Choudhury.
Party leaders claimed that the stalls drew not only BJP workers and supporters but also members of the general public, including a notable number of young people. Bookstalls also distributed free booklets outlining various welfare schemes and achievements of the union and state governments. Publications highlighting flagship welfare initiatives and the record of the Narendra Modi-led union government reportedly attracted interest.
The BJP also used the occasion to showcase the work undertaken by its government in West Bengal during its first five months in office. Booklets detailing the state government's initiatives were distributed to visitors, allowing the party to present its administrative record alongside its political literature.
Other publications on sale included accounts of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's history and organisational methods, ideological interpretations of Hindutva, the BJP's rise as a political force, autobiographies of prominent party leaders, compilations of speeches and histories of movements associated with the saffron camp, including the Ram temple movement.
The sales figures represent a sharp increase from last year's Puja, when BJP bookstalls typically recorded sales of around Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per district, according to party sources.
The BJP attributed this year's record sales to the expanded network of stalls, their proximity to major pandals and the public's interest in political and ideological literature. However, the figures were provided by the party and could not be independently verified. UNI RC NST CDS
Tags: #BJP bookstalls record sales of over Rs 2 crore during Durga Puja in Bengal
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