Another jolt for Mamata Banerjee as Birbhum strongman Anubrata Mondal slams I-Pac, criticises party
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Ajay Halder
Kolkata, June 12: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, already grappling with a series of setbacks since the Assembly election jolt, now faces another challenge as Birbhum strongman Anubrata Mondal openly criticises political consultancy firm I-PAC. This comes at a time when several of 'Didi's' once-loyal aides appear to be drifting away. While some leaders have openly expressed their discontent with her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, others have directed their frustration towards I-PAC, signalling growing unease within the Trinamool Congress ranks.
Some are even pointing fingers at the Trinamool Congress supremo's 'blind faith' in certain matters.
Why is Anubrata Mondal unhappy with TMC?
The Birbhum leader has openly expressed his grievances to the media, squarely blaming I-PAC. He stated, "When the party came to power in 2011, I-PAC didn't exist. Alienating the Congress was a mistake on our part. But who listens to whom? In 2014, 2016, and 2019, I-PAC wasn't there. So, why was I-PAC needed? Today, the debacle happened because of I-PAC."
He added, "I-PAC misled us. They collected money from all sorts of people—taking cash under the pretext of securing positions or managing Panchayat and municipal elections. If one feigns sleep, the party is bound to end up in this state."
It did not stop there; Anubrata’s accusations and barbs grew sharper. He questioned, "How much can someone from UP or Bihar possibly understand about Labhpur?" Notably, leaders across various levels of the Trinamool Congress have been raising this question since 2022, and the issue has gained further momentum following the defeat in the 2026 elections.
Rifts had already widened across the Legislative Assembly, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha—involving figures ranging from Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar to Ritabrata Banerjee. Kalyan Banerjee has also voiced his dissatisfaction. Now, is Anubrata Mondal — the 'bahubali' TMC leader of Birbhum district and a fierce loyalist of 'Didi'' — also losing faith in her? The explosive remarks made by Anubrata Mondal amidst the Trinamool's electoral debacle have led to a big commotion in state politics.
