Kolkata [India], July 4 : Appearing to play the Hindu card in the aftermath of electoral debacle, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday flagged off the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra which will end on July 11.
Actor-turned politician Nusrat Jahan, along with her husband Nikhil Jain, who offered prayers in the temple, were present on the dais from where the chief minister signalled the start of the yatra.
also known as Gundicha Yatra of Lord Jagannatha and his siblings,
In the Rath Yatra, also known as Gundicha Yatra of Lord Jagannatha and his siblings, three chariots for the deities- Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannatha and Devi Subhadra-- are set up every year.
The prime attractions of the Rath Yatra are the elaborate chariots. The decorative wooden idols of the three deities are pulled accompanied by chants and blowing of conches.
In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the TMC had won 22 seats while the BJP won 18. The BJP accuses the TMC of minority appeasement for votes.