Ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, political activity intensified following raids by the Enforcement Directorate on the Kolkata office of political consultancy Indian Political Action Committee and the residence of its co-founder Pratik Jain.
After the raids, Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee accused the central government and the Enforcement Directorate of political vendetta, stating that such actions only strengthen her resolve.
On Friday, Banerjee led a protest march of approximately six kilometres in Kolkata, beginning at Jadavpur and concluding at Hazra crossing. Thousands of Trinamool Congress workers and supporters participated. Banerjee walked at the front of the march, which the party described as a demonstration in defence of democracy and the federal structure.
Addressing a public meeting at Hazra, Banerjee said that all her actions had been undertaken in her capacity as Trinamool Congress president and that she had committed no illegal acts. She stated that if attempts were made to politically eliminate her, she had the right to self-defence, and added that when she is attacked, she is reborn, describing the previous day as a rebirth for her.
Banerjee alleged that during the raids, efforts were made to access the party’s confidential election strategy, lists of potential candidates, and digital data. She claimed the action was not an impartial investigation but a conspiracy to weaken the opposition.
Accusing the Enforcement Directorate of advancing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s political agenda in the name of an alleged coal scam, Banerjee said she possessed evidence secured on a pen drive and would make it public at an appropriate time. She alleged that several senior BJP leaders were linked to the funds involved in the alleged coal scam.
Referring to elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, Banerjee claimed that those polls were stolen and said the central government was now targeting West Bengal. She said that Bengal would not bow.
Amid the political confrontation, eight Trinamool Congress Members of Parliament, including Mahua Moitra and Derek O’Brien, were detained by Delhi Police during a protest outside the office of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. Following the circulation of videos showing MPs being taken into custody, Banerjee criticised the police action, stating that dragging elected representatives on the streets reflected arrogance in uniform rather than maintenance of law and order.
The Enforcement Directorate alleged that during the raid Banerjee took possession of important documents and electronic devices related to the investigation, thereby obstructing the probe. The agency approached the Calcutta High Court in the matter, but the hearing was adjourned due to disorder in court.
Responding on behalf of the BJP, senior leader and spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad accused Banerjee of running a corrupt government in West Bengal. He alleged that Enforcement Directorate officials were threatened and attempts were made to hide evidence, describing it as an effort to protect sensitive documents that could implicate the Trinamool Congress and its leaders.
