Ruling dispensation Trinamool Congress and principal Opposition outfit BJP are shouting of reaping political advantage before Assembly election even though dust is yet to settle on a Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at two offices of I-PAC in Kolkata recently. With chief minister and TMC supremo, Mamata Banerjee storming into the office of I-PAC, her party’s political consultant and emerging with a green file and a lap top stated to be containing TMC poll game plan, senior TMC leaders are claiming political advantage while her action is being looked upon as an instance of obstructing governmental investigation by the saffron camp.
Brushing aside BJP’s charge of the raid being conducted to unearth material about a section of TMC leadership’s complicity in coal and cattle smuggling, ruling party sources contended that the supremo’s act is an example that she can go to any length to protect her party activists and those aiding her. After all, I-PAC had played a key role in 2021 Assembly election victory when BJP appeared to be poised to replace the ruling party.
Banerjee barging into the Loudon Street office cum residence of I-PAC director, Pratik Jain is being viewed by her party activists as a political confrontation with the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. The 34-year long Left Front government had always been at loggerheads with the Centre, but the recent incident marks a new low in Centre state relations, according to political observers.
The TMC supremo has modulated her message to voters in the language of the Opposition and anti-Establishment political leader, a senior state minister said. It would help paper over the cracks in her party organisation which is a vital task before the elections, he added.
What he left unsaid that Banerjee walking into Jain’s home cum office Loudon Street and emerging with file and lap top and later holding a stay -in demonstration at sector five, Salt Lake against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah allowed her to shift attention from the shortcomings of her government months before the Assembly elections. The TMC dispensation is facing serious questions on scams, managing the state economy and law and order situation.
But apart from it, the Trinamool supremo has set up a rallying point for her party workers before elections. Reiterating her street fighter image which stood her in good stead in the past, Banerjee showed she is the only Opposition leader in the country who can take on BJP toe to toe.
Upping up the morale of her supporters, Banerjee protesting the ED raid walked at the head of a procession which ended at Hazra junction near her Kalighat home. In so many words, theTMC is in election mode.
Not to be outdone, BJP took out another rally at central Kolkata on the same fay. Rich in symbolism, it mounted a hen on a nearby tree branch indicating it’s political opponent seeking refuge in an unlikely place.
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The chief minister interfering in an investigation of the ED is clearly a case of misusing her power, former state BJP chief Rahul Sinha said. She has demonstrated that she has no faith in process of law and this will be to our advantage during elections, he added.
Central investigation agencies have been known to target leaders standing up to BJP. But turning the tables in those conducting a raid can earn brownie points to a leader aborting such a raid especially when the election is inching closer.
One is at a loss to understand why Banerjee is anxious to scuttle a probe into coal smuggling, Union minister of state and Balurghat MP, Sukanta Majumdar said. After all, West Bengal is known for a wrong reason these days -coal smuggling, he said.
Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty has demanded the chief minister’s arrest in this matter. He pointed to the absurdity if btge inaction of central para-military force personnel accompanying the ED team when the documents were “snatched” by the Trinamool supremo.
Meanwhile, political theatre absurd or otherwise is alive in West Bengal. The drama surrounding the I-PAC raid is an example.
The optics garnered by theatricality has substantive political returns. A tug of war will be on between TMC and BJP for the next few months and poll results will be a clear pointer to the winner.
West Bengal has just witnessed another performance of political theatre. But this certainly not the final scene.
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More are in store. It is waiting and watching time for the voters of West Bengal.
