Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to hold anti-SIR rallies in Malda, Murshidabad next week: TMC sources

At the Bangaon rally, Mamata Banerjee had asked voters not to be afraid of the SIR exercise. “Don’t panic at all. We won’t let you leave. No one can force you to leave when the Trinamool Congress is with you,” she said.

She also criticised the Election Commission (EC) and claimed: “The BJP is cheating people and trying to implement the CAA through the back door of SIR. It’s playing the religion card. Why were you sitting idle for so many years? It’s not possible to complete the SIR process within three months. It requires three years.”

When contacted, a senior TMC leader said, “The CM was addressing a TMC rally at Bongaon in North 24 Parganas, one of the strong citadels of the Matua community in the state. However, due to infighting within the All India Matua Mahasangha, Mamata did not visit Thakurbari in Thakurnagar, the spiritual centre of the Matuas that decides the electoral fate of political parties in more than 30 Assembly constituencies in North 24 Parganas, Nadia and Jalpaiguri districts. The rally virtually kick-started campaigning for the Assembly elections slated for April-May 2026 and intensified the anti-SIR agitations.”

He further said, “After addressing Matua-dominated areas, Mamata Banerjee has planned to enter Muslim-dominated Malda and Murshidabad in the first week of December. In these two districts, the number of Muslim voters is also high. Mamata Banerjee is trying to woo these sections of the population as well.

“Both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are realising that the grassroots level of the TMC has become complacent after repeatedly winning against the BJP. They think this can damage the party organisation. So, Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee will be touring bordering districts to energise the party rank and file just six months ahead of the state polls.”