Under CBI scanner: Anubrata Mondal, Mamata lieutenant & TMC strongman

Mondal, who has been with the TMC since its inception in 1998, is considered to be close to Banerjee for nearly two decades now. He is said to enjoy more clout and power in the state than many MLAs or even ministers. Locals consider his palatial house in Birbhum as the TMC’s district party office.

Despite having not contested any elections so far, Mondal is known for his booth management skills. He has been caught in rows over violation of the election code of conduct for allegedly giving inflammatory speeches. In various polls in the past, the Election Commission (EC) had put him under “house surveillance” too.

The TMC gave Mondal the responsibility of managing the recent Asansol parliamentary seat bypoll, which saw the party candidate, actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha, registering a thumping victory with a margin of over 3 lakh votes despite being tagged an “outsider” by the Opposition parties.

TMC leader Anubrata Mondal arrives at Nizam Palace. (Express photo)

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the TMC clinched both the seats, Birbhum and Bolpur, from Birbhum district. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the party again swept the district, scalping 10 of its total 11 seats.

Birbhum is strategically an important district for the Banerjee government. The mining at the district’s Deocha Pachami coal block has been among the biggest economic projects taken up by the government. The tribal agitation over this project has put the government in fix, with the TMC again banking on Mondal’s moves for its resolution.

“He is very important for the party. Anubrata has reached a level where TMC needs him. Everything in Birbhum happens through him, now he is growing even bigger in other districts like Burdwan, Nadia etc,” a local party leader told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity. He is said to have “control” over local police and administration in Birbhum. With such dominance and network that he has put in place in his belt, many believe that the Opposition parties could not emerge as serious challengers in Birbhum as long as he remains at the helm of the TMC affairs there.

A controversial leader and muscle man, Mondal has been embroiled in a slew of cases including threatening people, murder and those related to sand, stone and cattle smuggling.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankar had recently pulled up the police authorities for allowing Mondal to use a red beacon-fitted vehicle. Dhankar raised questions on how could he ride such a vehicle from Birbhum “uncheked and unregulated” and get himself admitted to a government hospital in Kolkata.

Mondal’s influence was also evident when he recently accompanied the CM during her Bogtui visit even though many had suspected his alleged involvement in the Bogtui carnage in which several houses were set on fire after a TMC leader’s murder leading to the killing of at least ten people including women and children.