West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a fierce political offensive, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of weaponizing central investigative agencies to steal her party's electoral strategy. The accusation came during a massive protest rally she led on Friday against recent raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC.
Protest Against ED Raids on Political Consultancy
Addressing a large gathering, Banerjee asserted that the searches conducted at I-PAC, which provides political consultancy and manages IT operations for the Trinamool Congress (TMC), were not a routine investigation. She claimed the primary objective was for the BJP to gain unauthorized access to the TMC's internal election strategy and plans for the upcoming polls. "All agencies have been captured," she declared, framing the action as part of a broader pattern of political intimidation.
Banerjee defended her personal visit to the I-PAC office and the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, during the raids. "What I did yesterday, I did as the TMC chairperson. I have done nothing illegal," she stated. She alleged that by the time she arrived at the premises, ED officials had already been present since early morning and "many things might already have been taken away."
Warning to BJP and Plan to Gherao Election Commission
In a direct challenge to the ruling party at the Centre, Banerjee warned against underestimating the political resolve of Bengal. She referenced states like Maharashtra, Haryana, and Bihar, accusing the BJP of forcibly capturing power there. "Do you think you can capture Bengal too?" she questioned the audience.
Taking her protest a step further, the Chief Minister announced her next political move: a gherao (siege) of the Election Commission of India's office. She linked this decision to allegations that the poll body, under the new Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, was planning to delete 1.5 crore voter names from the rolls in West Bengal. "If you try to snatch the power of voting, we will fight back, we will gherao the Election Commission office," Banerjee vowed.
Allegations of a Political Conspiracy
The TMC supremo framed the ED action as a direct political attack. "If someone tries to kill me politically, don't I have the right to defend myself?" she asked, positioning herself as a victim of agency overreach. She reiterated her charge that central agencies have been reduced to "political tools" of the BJP.
In a pointed remark, Banerjee hinted at a conspiracy involving former TMC leaders who have switched allegiance to the BJP. She described a chain linking "Jagannath to Suvendu to Amit Shah," suggesting a money trail through "traitors." The Chief Minister claimed to possess proof of these dealings, stored securely in pen drives, and issued a warning that she was prepared to use it.
The confrontation marks a significant escalation in the political battle between the TMC and the BJP in West Bengal, setting the stage for a heated electoral contest. Banerjee's call for a gherao of the ECI office signals her intent to take the fight beyond state borders and directly challenge central institutions she alleges are compromised.
