Since the return of Anubrata Mondal from Tihar Jail, political tensions have escalated within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Birbhum. Signals of a rivalry between Anubrata and Kajol Sheikh have also emerged. Amid various speculations of factional strife within the district TMC, the two leaders met face-to-face on Saturday at the TMC office in Bolpur, which had been recently redecorated following Kesto’s return. Notably, only Kesto’s picture now adorns the office walls, replacing those of other leaders, a move that Kajol openly criticized.
However, Kajol Sheikh, the district president of Birbhum, visited the TMC office to meet “Dada” (Kesto) on Saturday afternoon. After a half-hour meeting, both leaders appeared to be in good spirits, with insiders revealing that the meeting did not involve any political discussions. Instead, they claimed that Kajol expressed concern over Kesto’s health, while Kesto mentioned the need to conduct Kali Puja properly this year, sending a message about unity.
After the meeting, Kajol remarked, “Dada (Anubrata) is unwell. He may go to Kolkata tomorrow.” When asked about any political discussions, Kajol simply stated, “Anubrata is our president. We will work together in the future. A core committee meeting will be convened soon, where Anubrata Mondal will be present as the president.”
Kajol then addressed the upcoming Kali Puja, saying, “When he (Anubrata) was not here in Birbhum, I took the responsibility for his Kali Puja. I will certainly support if asked again in the future.”
Following his bail in a cattle smuggling case, Anubrata had meetings with various TMC leaders and ministers. However, Kajol did not visit him, and Kesto’s followers have begun to assert control over various areas in Birbhum, including leaders like Karim Khan, a close associate of Anubrata.
In this context, during a party meeting on Wednesday, Kajol was heard giving warnings, stating, “I did not come here to eat the percentage of the panchayat. I am not here to take river sand. I am not here to forcibly occupy people’s lands. If you take a crooked path, we know how to bring you back to the straight path. Don’t come looking for trouble; I’m not sitting idly.” Kajol also added, “I have seen a lot in my life. I have no personal desires. I know how to play all kinds of games. I know how to play chess and also Hadu-Du. Just singing ‘Khela Hobe’ will not help, my friend.”
Since the 2021 assembly elections, Anubrata has repeatedly issued warnings echoing the phrase “Khela Hobe.” Is Kajol’s comment directed at Kesto and his followers? The Birbhum TMC leadership has not openly acknowledged the factional strife. Yet, within 24 hours of his comment, Kajol referred to Anubrata as his guardian, fueling speculation in district politics regarding their meeting.
The relationship between Kajol and Anubrata is well-known. During Anubrata’s tenure as the TMC district president, Kajol was reportedly marginalized within the party. Their internal conflicts have surfaced repeatedly, and many within the TMC allege that Kajol’s actions in the 2016 assembly elections contributed to the defeat of Anubrata’s close ally, Gadhadhar Hazarika, by the CPI(M) in Nandur. However, during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Anubrata entrusted Kajol with the electoral responsibilities in the Nandur area, where he managed to secure a significant lead for the party across seven assembly segments under the Bolpur constituency.
Later, Kajol was appointed as the block working president and regained credibility by restoring Nandur in the 2021 assembly elections. Following Anubrata’s incarceration, Kajol’s influence within the party grew, with his supporters becoming increasingly active in district politics.
During a recent visit to Birbhum, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appointed Kajol as a member of the district core committee. He was also nominated as the district president after winning the first election from the Nandur area. For the last Lok Sabha elections, Mamata assigned him the responsibility of overseeing Nandur and Ketugram constituencies, where he managed to secure record leads.
However, despite the meeting between the leaders, Kajol did not appear in the vicinity when ministers and other leaders visited Kesto’s residence earlier this week. He claimed he could not make it due to the Chief Minister’s district visit and stated, “Birbhum’s nine regions are flood-affected. As district president, I have responsibilities. The Chief Minister was here for a report. It is not essential to schedule my visit to Dada’s house!”
While Kesto and Kajol’s meeting raised eyebrows, Kajol remained cautious, stating that the rest of their discussions were personal and that political discussions would occur later.