Synopsis: Thakurnagar feud between BJP MP Shantanu Thakur and MLA Subrata Thakur intensifies, leaving Bengal BJP leadership silent as family divisions resurface in the Matua stronghold.
By Qalam Times News Network | August 25, 2025
BJP Caught Between Two Key Leaders
Thakurnagar is once again at the center of a storm as an escalating feud between brothers Subrata Thakur and Shantanu Thakur threatens to destabilize the BJP’s standing in North 24 Parganas. The rift began when Shantanu’s supporters organized a special camp inside the Natmandir, which Subrata strongly opposed. Subrata argued that the sacred space regularly hosts religious programs and should not be used for political gatherings. In retaliation, Shantanu’s camp accused Subrata of intimidating Matua devotees. The clash quickly spiraled into open accusations: Subrata alleging Shantanu is monopolizing power in the family, while Shantanu claimed Subrata is eyeing a switch to Trinamool for ministerial ambitions.
Family Lines Redrawn
The Thakurnagar family feud has split the household into rival camps. Subrata has gained the backing of his mother, Shibirani Thakur, along with Trinamool MP Mamata Bala Thakur and her MLA daughter, Madhuparna Thakur. On the other hand, former Bengal minister and Matua Mahasangha head Manjul Krishna Thakur publicly denounced Subrata’s conduct and voiced full support for his younger son, Shantanu. This sharp division within the household has once again turned Thakurnagar into a political battleground, with Bengal BJP leadership opting to remain silent.
BJP Leadership Chooses Silence
Top BJP leaders in West Bengal, including state president Shamik Bhattacharya and opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, have instructed party workers to avoid public comments. As one senior BJP leader from the Bongaon organizational district explained, both Subrata and Shantanu are indispensable to the party. Subrata, as an MLA from Gaighata, and Shantanu, as a Union minister in Narendra Modi’s cabinet, hold vital influence. “We cannot afford to side with either of them. The brothers must resolve this themselves,” the leader admitted.
Old Rivalries, New Flashpoints
The Thakur household is no stranger to disputes. The late Kapil Krishna Thakur had longstanding differences with his brother Manjul Krishna, a conflict that once drew both Subrata and Shantanu firmly into their father’s camp. In 2015, when Subrata contested the Bongaon by-election as a BJP candidate against his aunt Mamata Bala Thakur of Trinamool, his father and younger brother stood by him. Today, however, the lines have shifted dramatically.
Will the Rift Last?
Political observers believe the current Thakurnagar dispute may not endure for long. Similar tensions arose during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but quickly subsided. The BJP’s state leadership appears confident that this feud will also fade with time. Yet, the episode underlines a recurring challenge for the BJP: balancing its political strategy in Bengal with the volatile dynamics of the influential Matua family in Thakurnagar.
