Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Apr 20: Amidst the reported move by its political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) to Pause all ground operations for the ruling Trinamool Congress just on the eve of the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday termed as “drama” the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s antics on Sunday for an unscheduled brief stopover to savour Bengal’s popular snack “Jhalmuri” (puffed rice) during his poll campaign in Jhargram.
Addressing a poll rally in Murarai assembly constituency in Birbhumm district. Ms Banerjee questioned the spontaneity of the moment and alleged that the entire episode was staged. “It’s all drama. How come a camera was present when the Prime Minister suddenly made an unscheduled stop during the campaign? The entire episode was scripted. He was seen carrying a Rs 10 note in his pocket. Is it believable?” Banerjee said without naming PM Modi.
Even as the security staff were seen lined up even before Mr Modi approached the roadside shop, the video on the event claimed it to be an unscheduled stopover. It also claimed that bystanders and the vendor were surprised when the PM’s convoy suddenly stopped before his modest shop in Jhargram and none but Mr Modi himself walked up to the stall asking the price of ‘jhalmuri’. “Bhai, apka jhalmuri khelao, kitna? Accha se bana do jhalmuri (treat me with your jhalmuri; how much is it? Make it tasty),” Modi is heard telling the amazed shopkeeper.
The PM, who was accompanied by his security personnel, handed over the money to the vendor, insisting that he accept the money. Asked by the shopkeeper if all the standard ingredients would be used to prepare the delicacy, Modi said, “Everything excepting nimak (salt)” which he does not use for health reasons.
The PM savoured the ‘jhalmuri’ and later posted a photo of it on his X handle. “Amid four public meetings spanning across West Bengal on a hectic Sunday, I savoured some delicious spicy puffed rice, Jhalmuri in Jhargram,” the PM said in three posts on his X handle along with a video of the visit.
Meanwhile, I-PAC, which is under severe scrutiny of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the last few months in connection with an alleged “hawala” transaction, is learnt to have issued an internal email asking its employees to pause all ground operations in support of the TMC for 20 days. I-PAC has been involved in managing the Trinamool Congress’s campaign.
The move comes at a crucial phase of the election cycle, with polling dates for the two-phase voting on April 23 and 29 drawing closer. An internal communication from I-PAC’s human resource team which was sent on Sunday night cited “certain legal issues” behind the decision to stop work. It said the management has decided to pause operations in West Bengal with immediate effect.
The mail said the organisation is cooperating with the legal process and expressed confidence that “justice will take its due course.” Sources within I-PAC said the HR email circulating on social media is authentic. Employees and team members have been asked to take a short leave for 20 days, after which I-PAC said it hopes to regroup by May 11 to review the situation and decide the next steps.
Sources said the pause primarily affects I-PAC’s associate-level workforce deployed across constituencies. These are staff typically engaged in booth-level management, voter outreach, and data collection. While some employees remain stationed in Bengal, others have returned home.
Though mail was sent to all I-PAC employees, senior staff are still working with the Trinamool on its campaign, sources said. Workers of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s party in close coordination with I-PAC continue to work on elected-linked activity on the ground, they said.
I-PAC’s senior employees of the consultancy are overseeing campaign strategy and execution, ensuring continuity in messaging, planning, and coordination across constituencies, sources said. Many employees are fearful about losing their jobs. I-PAC has deployed some 500 staff for election work in Bengal; many are closely working with ministries to help them in schemes.
I-PAC has been closely associated with the Trinamool since the 2021 assembly elections, when it played a key role in crafting the party’s electoral strategy. Since then, it has remained an integral part of the party’s campaign ecosystem. The Trinamool today strongly denied any disruption in campaign operations, calling claims of a halt in I-PAC’s activities “baseless” and aimed at creating confusion. The party said campaign work was continuing as planned across the state.
The developments coincide with heightened scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which recently searched premises linked to I-PAC’s directors as part of an ongoing money laundering probe. The ED had arrested one of the firm’s directors, seized documents and electronic records, and questioned individuals linked to the organisation.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the Kerala unit of the Trinamool Congress on Monday decided to sever all ties with the West Bengal-based mother party and reposition itself as a “secular, democratic and socialist political outfit aligned with the politics of the Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF).” The decision was taken at the state committee meeting of the party held in Kochi.
Addressing a press conference after the State committee meeting, its state unit convenor PV Anvar categorically stated that “all links with the TMC stand severed with immediate effect” and that a new party would be formed by May 15. “We have decided to register as a State party with secular, democratic, and socialist credentials, giving special consideration to Kerala’s interests. Since this is a time-consuming process, we are cutting ties with the Trinamool Congress starting today.
“After consultations with district committees to finalise the new party’s name and policy document, we will launch the new political outfit by May 15. This party will stand firmly with the UDF, oppose both ‘Pinarayism’ and fascism, and extend full support to Rahul Gandhi at the national level,” he said.
Mr Anvar noted that the TMC national leadership had initially assured the State unit that it had no objection to aligning with the Congress, citing potential future understandings with the Congress even in West Bengal. However, as matters progressed, they withdrew from that position, claiming that joining hands with the Congress could create problems in Bengal, he said.
He added that even when he contested as the party’s candidate in Beypore in the Kerala Assembly polls, “not a single TMC national leader” was deployed for campaigning. “I had requested that at least one national-level leader be sent. But they said under no circumstances could they share a stage with the Congress. If Trinamool and Congress flags and leadership appeared together, it would undermine their anti-Congress, anti-communist, and anti-BJP politics in Bengal. That is precisely why they did not give us the symbol in Beypore,” Mr Anvar said.
“In such a political situation, naturally, we cannot move forward in Kerala. If not the Indian National Congress, who else should we support on the major issues facing the country? That is why the State committee held detailed discussions and passed a resolution to sever all ties with the TMC. The intention is to work more closely with the UDF,” he said.
Earlier, in a Facebook post, Mr Anvar announced his decision to resign as the State convener of the TMC and sever all ties with the party. He said it had been decided, with the support of all district committees, to form a new State-level party that upholds secular and democratic values in a manner beneficial to Kerala. This new platform, he added, would align ideologically with the politics championed nationally by Mr Gandhi and the Indian National Congress.