Clash in Birbhum TMC: Anubrata Mandal’s Return Sparks Conflict Over Removal of Leaders’ Photos
The return of Anubrata Mandal, a powerful leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Birbhum, has sparked internal conflict within the party. After Mandal’s release following his arrest in the 2022 cattle smuggling case, he was greeted with grand celebrations in his hometown, Bolpur. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had once promised that Mandal would return with honor, and her words seemed to resonate on Tuesday when TMC workers welcomed him with slogans and flower showers at his residence in Nichupatty, Bolpur. However, the celebrations soon gave rise to controversy within the party.
On Wednesday, in a bold move by Mandal’s supporters, photographs of core committee members were removed from the walls of the Bolpur TMC office. The only images left hanging were those of Anubrata Mandal—reportedly, nine photos of him were placed inside the office. Even a large cutout of Mandal was put up at the entrance. This act has deeply angered Kajal Sheikh, a district core committee member and head of the district council. Expressing his frustration, Sheikh stated, “The decision to remove the core committee leaders’ photos is wrong. The 2024 Lok Sabha seats in Birbhum were won due to the efforts of the core committee. Removing their images is unacceptable.”
The makeover of the TMC office started early Wednesday, with workers painting doors and grills, preparing the office for Mandal’s grand welcome. Photographs of key district leaders, including Abhijit Singh, Chandranath Singh, Vikas Raychowdhury, Sudipta Ghosh, and Ashis Bandopadhyay, were taken down, further intensifying the discord within the party.
Mandal’s emotional return to Bolpur, after two years, was marked by tears and cheers from his supporters, with his daughter Sukanya Mandal standing by his side throughout the day. While Mandal met selectively with a few party leaders, others were reportedly denied access. Notably, even though Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held an administrative meeting just four kilometers away at the Gitanjali Auditorium, she did not meet with Mandal, leading to further speculation. However, it is possiblethat the two communicated via phone.
As tensions continue to rise, the Birbhum TMC faces a growing rift between Mandal’s supporters and senior leaders over this power play, raising concerns ahead of the upcoming political battles.
