TMC scuttles national ambitions as scams sting party

Sources in the party said that the CBI and ED investigations into various scams and subsequent arrests of heavyweight party leaders, have dealt a major blow to the TMC’s national ambitions, with the leadership trying to set its house in order first, instead of taking the challenge to the BJP in other states.

According to a senior leader of the party, the crisis is much bigger than what it seems on the ground. The BJP on the other hand is buoyant after the recent developments, and is trying to use the public outrage against the TMC to its advantage.

Speaking to The Indian Express, TMC Lok Sabha MP Sougata Roy said, “The investigations by central agencies have certainly disrupted our national ambitions. The arrest of our leaders are a setback. In West Bengal, Trinamool Congress is the dominant force. From outside, there is no challenge. But inside, we are facing a challenge. We have to first overcome this internal challenge before focusing on other things.”

In July this year, TMC general secretary and state minister Partha Chatterjee, along with his close aide Arpita Mukherjee, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged state School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam. Following this, Chatterjee was dropped from the cabinet and suspended from the party.

A month later, the CBI arrested TMC strongman and Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal in connection with a cattle-smuggling case. With Mondal behind bars, the TMC faces a big challenge, as he was in charge of party affairs in East Burdwan, Murshidabad and other districts, beside being the last word in Birbhum district. Being a key grassroots strategist, the party is likely to feel his absence ahead of the state panchayat polls, scheduled for early next year.

The CBI glare on another TMC heavyweight, Moloy Ghatak, in West Burdwan district, for his alleged involvement in a coal pilferage scam, is another major concern for the party, which enjoys a strong presence in the state’s industrial belt.

In September, several education department top officials were arrested by central agencies in connection with the school teachers’ recruitment scam. Recently, former West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) chairman and TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya was also arrested by the ED in the same scam.

In addition, TMC national general secretary and Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, and his wife Rujira, are being questioned at regular intervals by central agencies in connection with the coal pilferage scam.

Insiders said the party’s alleged involvement in multiple scams—with the BJP calling its leaders “thieves”—has resulted in huge loss of credibility for the party. “The BJP is using central agencies against Opposition parties including TMC. The probes and arrests of our leaders have come as a setback. From putting pressure on the BJP nationally, the party is now trying tide over the present crisis in the state. For now, the approach is state-oriented,” said a senior party leader on condition of anonymity.

TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh, however, said the party is in constant touch with its workers in other states. The TMC spokesperson cited the festive season for reduced party activities. “Our national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is in the US for an eye surgery. He is under observation now after the operation. We wish for his speedy recovery. As he is indisposed, our activities in national politics have fallen. Besides, it is also a festive season, when people spend time with their families. Once it gets over, the party will resume all its activities,” Ghosh told the newspaper.

The state BJP is upbeat with recent developments and is mounting pressure on the TMC government, highlighting its involvement in various scams. Despite the party not having a strong organisational footprint across the state, following its defeat in the 2021 assembly polls, it wants to sway the public outrage against the TMC in its favour. On a number of occasions, several party leaders, including state president Sukanta Majumdar, have claimed the TMC government will fall by December this year.

Speaking to this newspaper, senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha said, “Forget about national presence, the TMC is now concerned about saving its government in West Bengal. In the last few months, there is zero TMC activity at the national level. It has lost credibility to remain in power for its involvement in various scams. Therefore, for them there is no room for pursuing national ambitions, as it is going through a major crisis in West Bengal. In the next elections, the BJP will definitely come to power in the state.”