3 min readKolkataMar 21, 2026 07:45 PM IST
First published on: Mar 21, 2026 at 07:45 PM IST
Among the names that stood out as the BJP announced its list of candidates this week was that of Bharat Sevashram Sangha monk Swami Jyotirmayananda, popularly known as Utpal Maharaj, who has been fielded from the Kaliagnaj constituency in Uttar Dinajpur district. However, in an internal letter issued on Friday, the outfit announced his expulsion for walking “into the trap of politics”.
Utpal Maharaj, however, told The Indian Express that he had informed the Sangha authorities about his decision to contest the elections, but when they did not agree, he submitted his resignation on March 17, a day after his candidature was announced, and “it was accepted”.
“You may be aware that Swami Jyotirmayananda has walked into the trap of politics, left the Ashram, and joined a political party. As soon as this news was received, the Sangha authorities held an emergency meeting of the governing body at the Head Office and decided to expel him. Bharat Sevashram Sangha is a completely non-political, social service, and religious organisation. Under no circumstances can a sanyasi, brahmachari, or Ashram resident of the Sangha be involved in any political activities,” the Sangha’s general secretary, Swami Biswatmananda, wrote in the note.
He went on to add, “If one comes under the influence or temptation of a political party, their religious life gets completely destroyed. It displaces them from the glory of renunciation and drowns them in an addiction to worldly pleasures … While we are supposed to work for the welfare of the world, it is never appropriate to abandon our conscience and detachment to return to worldly opulence …”
Utpal Maharaj, who was born in Balurghat in Dakshin Dinajpur district, said he joined the organisation in 2000 and four years later completed his Bachelor’s degree in history from the local college. “I was greatly influenced from a young age by the life of a monk as I studied and stayed in an ashram hostel. Back then, I decided to become a sanyasi.”
While the Sangha, established in 1917, keeps away from politics and engages in philanthropic work and disaster relief, it also runs a network of Hindu Milan Mandirs across the country. These are meant to unite Hindus, claimed Utpal Maharaj.
“While serving Hindus, I felt that the community is in danger because of politics. Hindus are suffering because of the appeasement of a certain community. Nowadays, Hindus need special police permission to perform pujas for Rath Yatras, or even Ram Navami. One cannot solve the problems that Hindus face through a spiritual organisation,” he said.
Referring to the comments of former Trinamool Congress leader Humayun Kabir and senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim, Utpal Maharaj said the time to pray in temples was over. He said while the Sangha had expelled him, he would always carry it in his “heart and mind” and that he would stay in touch with the sanyasis in the organisation.
“I live in Kaliaganj and know every lane in this area. I know the people here and what they feel. They are saying they could not have imagined that I would be a candidate. As a monk, I have no contact with my family, but I will continue living as one,” he said.