In the aftermath of the Ram temple inauguration at Ayodhya, the upcoming Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal on April 17 are poised to become a political battleground, with the saffron camp organising large-scale events across the state to showcase "Hindu unity" before the Lok Sabha polls. With the first phase of elections scheduled on April 19 and the second on April 26, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the BJP intends to stoke communal tensions. With the BJP-RSS making deep inroads in West Bengal over the years, the Ram Navami festival, previously celebrated in limited pockets of the state, has expanded in scale and prominence over the past decade. Following the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya earlier this year, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has planned an extensive Ram Mahotsav programme from April 9 to April 23, culminating on Hanuman Jayanti. In recent years, Ram Navami rallies in the state have escalated into major political issues due to communa