West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took her political battle against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government to the streets of Kolkata on Friday, leading a massive protest march and filing dual police complaints against the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This dramatic escalation comes a day after the central agency conducted raids at the offices of the political consultancy firm I-PAC.
From Courtroom to the Streets: A 10-km March of Defiance
Dressed in her signature white cotton sari and slippers, Mamata Banerjee led a 10-kilometer-long protest march from the 8B Bus Stand area towards Hazra More in south Kolkata. She was accompanied by a large contingent of senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assembly, and party officials.
The atmosphere resembled a street festival infused with political defiance. Party workers enthusiastically sang the iconic Bengali anthem 'Ami Banglay Gaan Gai', while women blew conch shells. The march also saw the presence of popular actor-politicians like Lok Sabha MP Dev and Soham Chakraborty, drawing cheers from the crowd and highlighting the TMC's deep fusion of cinema and politics.
Banerjee, occasionally pausing to wave at onlookers, used the platform to launch a fierce attack on the BJP. "After winning Bengal, we must win Delhi as well; can't have BJP rule India," she declared, according to PTI. She accused the BJP of misusing central agencies for political vendetta and of forcibly capturing power in states like Maharashtra, Haryana, and Bihar. "Do you think you can capture Bengal too?" she challenged.
Legal Offensive: FIRs Filed, High Court Petition
Parallel to the street protest, the TMC launched a legal offensive. Based on complaints filed by the party, the Kolkata Police and Bidhannagar Police registered First Information Reports (FIRs) against the ED and initiated a probe. This move formalizes the confrontation following the intense incident on Thursday where Banerjee arrived at the I-PAC search sites.
The Chief Minister defended her actions during the raid, stating, "What I did yesterday, I did as the TMC chairperson. I have done nothing illegal." She asserted that any political attack only strengthens her resolve, noting, "If someone tries to hit me politically, I get politically rejuvenated and reborn."
Adding another layer to the legal battle, the TMC has also filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court challenging the ED's actions. This three-pronged strategy—street protest, police complaint, and court challenge—marks a significant intensification of the conflict between the TMC and the central government.
Gearing Up for 2026: TMC's Statewide Agitation Plan
According to TMC leaders, Friday's march is just the beginning. It marks the first in a series of statewide demonstrations planned by the party, signaling Mamata Banerjee's intent to shift the political struggle back to the streets—a domain where her brand of symbolic and theatrical politics is most potent.
Looking beyond the immediate clash, Banerjee announced her party's "next destination" would be the Election Commission in New Delhi. She plans to protest what she describes as the harassment of voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
This series of events sets the stage for a prolonged and bitter political fight in West Bengal, with the ruling TMC clearly showcasing its organizational strength and street presence as a prelude to the crucial 2026 state assembly elections.
