India's Opposition Parties Build Temples to Woo Hindu Voters

Move seen as pushback against claims that they pander to Muslims, neglect Hindus

- Debarshi Dasgupta

DIGHA - Bengalis have always flocked to Digha, a coastal resort town in the Indian state of West Bengal. But a new attraction is now proving to be a hot draw for thousands of visitors.

It is Jagannath Dham, an imposing sandstone temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a much-loved deity in Bengal and whose hulking chariot lies at the origin of the English word "juggernaut".

Among the thousands of visitors on July 5 was 45-year-old sari-clad Sandhya Dutta, who was busy taking selfies against the temple's towering 65m-tall central complex.

"The possibility of seeing such a beautiful temple in Digha gives this place a different attraction," said Mrs Dutta, who has visited the town several times. "With this temple, I felt like coming here again."

Constructed by the state government at a reported cost of 2.5 billion rupees (S$37.3 million), Jagannath Dham opened with much fanfare in April 2025.

It is an attempt by the opposition All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), which governs West Bengal, to mobilise support from Hindus at a time when the party has been accused by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of appeasing Muslims. The BJP seeks to dethrone its rival from power in a state election in early 2026.

Building temples is proving to be a key way for political parties to attract Hindu votes.

Mr Akhilesh Yadav, leader of the Samajwadi Party (SP) - another key opposition force in the state of Uttar Pradesh - is overseeing the construction of a major temple in his party's traditional stronghold in Etawah district ahead of an assembly election in 2027.

While the ruling Hindu-nationalist BJP has long been known to use its support for temples to garner votes from Hindus, it is becoming increasingly important for other Indian political parties to cater - or at least, be seen as catering - to the religious sentiments of Hindus. They make up around 80 per cent of the country's population.