Though the Assembly elections are still over a year away, north Bengal development minister Udayan Guha has already set the political stage abuzz in Siliguri.

At a foundation stone-laying ceremony on Monday for a road and drainage project at Ghughumali area of in ward 37, Mr Guha publicly urged Siliguri mayor Gautam Deb to contest from the Siliguri Assembly constituency.

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“If Gautam-da contests and wins from the Siliguri seat, the pace of development in the city will increase manifold,” Mr Guha said. “His experience and leadership could be a great asset for Siliguri.

Gautam Deb, currently the mayor of Siliguri, is also the former MLA from the Dabgram-Fulbari Assembly constituency.

Mr Guha’s remarks have triggered widespread speculation in political circles. Many see his statement as a potential hint at the ruling party’s electoral roadmap.

Responding to the minister’s comments, Mr Deb said: “Udayan-babu probably spoke out of affection and respect for me. But the decision on where I will contest from lies with the party. I will go by whatever the party decides.”

Notably, although the BJP won the Siliguri seat in the 2021 Assembly elections, observers credit the city’s recent spurt in development to Gautam Deb’s tenure as mayor.

With the next elections on the horizon, all eyes are now on the Trinamul Congress’s game plan—and whether Gautam Deb will indeed be fielded from Siliguri. For now, Udayan Guha’s remarks have unmistakably raised the political temperature in the city.