West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee is set to spearhead a significant protest rally in Kolkata on Friday, January 9, 2026. This move comes directly on the heels of a dramatic, high-stakes confrontation between her party and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) a day prior.
A Day of High Drama and Allegations
The flashpoint was a series of raids conducted by the central probe agency on Thursday, January 8. The ED teams searched the premises of the political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its director, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata. The operation was part of an ongoing money laundering investigation.
The situation escalated dramatically when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself arrived at the Loudon Street residence of Pratik Jain where the search was underway. Banerjee alleged that ED officials were attempting to confiscate the TMC's internal hard disks, sensitive organizational data, and strategic documents. She claimed the raids were a blatant attempt to "loot" her party's crucial information ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections later this year.
"This is not law enforcement. Is this how the nastiest and naughty home minister functions, who cannot protect the country and is sending agencies to harass before elections?" Banerjee stated, taking a sharp jab at Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Clashing Narratives: TMC vs. ED & BJP
The ED presented a starkly different version of events. In an official statement, the agency accused the Chief Minister of entering the residential premises during the live search operation and taking away key evidence, including physical documents and electronic devices. The ED stated that its team was conducting proceedings peacefully until Banerjee arrived with a large contingent of police officials.
Banerjee countered, asserting that I-PAC is not merely a private firm but an authorized team of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). She argued that the seizure of party documents, including data related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, was unlawful as the TMC is a registered political party that files its income tax returns regularly.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swiftly capitalized on the incident, mounting a sharp attack on the TMC chief. In a post on social media platform X, the BJP questioned, "If there is nothing to hide in West Bengal, why would a Chief Minister scramble to secure files from an official investigation site?" The party asserted that the truth would emerge and predicted that Bengal would vote for the BJP.
The Kolkata Protest Rally: A Show of Strength
In direct response to Thursday's events, Mamata Banerjee announced a public protest rally. The over 5-kilometer long rally is scheduled to commence from the Jadavpur 8B bus stand and proceed to Hazra crossing. The Chief Minister has made an open call, urging citizens and supporters to participate in large numbers to protest against the actions of the central agency, which she labels as politically motivated intimidation.
This protest sets the stage for a fresh political firestorm in West Bengal. The incident raises profound questions about the use of central investigative agencies in the political arena, especially in the volatile run-up to state elections. The confrontation between the ruling TMC in the state and the BJP-led central government has now moved from verbal sparring to an unprecedented on-ground clash, signaling a fierce electoral battle ahead.
