West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has said the state government is expected to introduce a Bill in the Assembly seeking to rename West Bengal as “Paschim Banga”. Bhattacharya said the proposed name was chosen to establish a stronger connection with the state’s history and Bengali identity. His remarks came while he was speaking about plans for a proposed Paschim Banga Bhavan in Varanasi, which is being envisioned as a cultural and accommodation centre for Bengalis visiting or living in the Uttar Pradesh city. The BJP leader indicated that the legislation could be brought before the Assembly during its current session, although the state’s official name would not change merely through the introduction or passage of an Assembly Bill.

Bhattacharya said the proposed use of “Paschim Banga” was linked to the historical circumstances surrounding the creation of the present-day state. The name literally refers to the western part of Bengal and has been used in political and cultural discussions surrounding the state’s identity for decades. The latest announcement revives a long-running debate over whether West Bengal should have a name that more closely reflects its linguistic and historical character. Different governments in the state have considered alternative names over the years, but previous proposals have not resulted in a change to the official name. The BJP’s latest position comes at a time when questions surrounding Bengali identity, culture and history remain prominent in the state’s political discourse.

The announcement was also linked to the proposed Paschim Banga Bhavan in Varanasi. Bhattacharya said the project is intended to create a dedicated space for Bengalis in the holy city, where there has historically been a significant Bengali cultural presence. The proposed facility is expected to combine accommodation with cultural and community functions. Plans discussed by the BJP leader include facilities such as a conference hall and library, along with collections highlighting Bengali literature, music and cultural traditions. The centre is also expected to provide accommodation for tourists and pilgrims from Bengal and offer a venue for Bengali families and community groups in Varanasi to hold social or cultural programmes. The project, according to the announcement, is being developed with the involvement of the state’s culture and tourism authorities and other stakeholders.

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Bhattacharya connected the proposed Varanasi centre with the historical relationship between Bengal and the city. He referred to the presence of Bengali families and institutions in Varanasi and highlighted the contribution of the former Cooch Behar royal family to the city’s cultural and religious landscape. He also spoke about earlier efforts concerning Bengali institutions and heritage sites in Varanasi, arguing that several such initiatives had not progressed as planned. The proposed Bhavan is therefore being presented not only as a facility for visitors from West Bengal but also as a way of preserving and promoting the cultural links between Bengal and Varanasi. The announcement of the project provided the immediate backdrop to Bhattacharya’s comments about the proposed state name.

The demand to rename West Bengal has a long political history. The issue was raised during the Left Front period as well, with different names being considered as political leaders debated how the state should be identified officially. The matter gained renewed attention after the Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011. The state government subsequently explored names including Paschim Banga and Bangla, with the West Bengal Assembly passing a resolution in 2018 proposing “Bangla” as the state’s name. That proposal, however, did not receive the necessary approval at the national level. The latest proposal for “Paschim Banga” therefore represents another attempt to revisit the question, although its eventual outcome will depend on the constitutional and parliamentary process required for changing the name of a state.

The proposed legislation should consequently be viewed as the beginning of a legal and political process rather than an immediate renaming of West Bengal. Under the Constitution, Parliament has the authority to change the name of an existing state, while the state legislature is given an opportunity to express its views on such a proposal. This means that even if the West Bengal Assembly introduces and passes a Bill supporting “Paschim Banga”, further steps at the national level would be necessary before the change could become official. Bhattacharya’s announcement nevertheless signals that the BJP intends to revive the issue and place the question of the state’s historical identity and official name back into the political conversation.

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