Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday led a massive protest march in south Kolkata against the Enforcement Directorate’s searches linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC, as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) stepped up its political offensive ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Sharpening her confrontation with the Centre, Banerjee chose to take the battle to the streets, transforming the ED action into a rallying point in the run-up to the high-stakes polls. The march began from the 8B Bus Stand area and proceeded towards Hazra More, with the TMC supremo walking at the front of the procession.
She was accompanied by senior ministers, Members of Parliament, MLAs and party functionaries, while crowds lining the route raised slogans accusing the BJP-led central government of misusing central agencies to target political opponents.
The rally came a day after Banerjee made an unexpected appearance at the Loudon Street residence of I-PAC chief Pratik Jain during an ED raid, an episode that has since intensified the ongoing Centre-state standoff.
The protest took on a distinctly cultural tone, reflecting Bengal’s political traditions. Party supporters sang Pratul Mukhopadhyay’s iconic song ‘Ami Banglay Gaan Gai’, while women blew conch shells, giving the demonstration the atmosphere of a cultural procession intertwined with political resistance.
Dressed in her customary white cotton sari, shawl and slippers, Banerjee walked steadily through the streets, occasionally stopping to acknowledge onlookers, many of whom recorded the march on their mobile phones.
The rally also drew attention due to the presence of actor-politicians, including sitting Lok Sabha MP Dev and MLA Soham Chakraborty, along with other figures from the Bengali film and television industry who are now active in the TMC. Their participation added both visibility and enthusiasm to the gathering, drawing loud cheers from supporters.
Senior TMC leaders said the Kolkata march marked the beginning of a series of statewide agitations planned by the party. They indicated that Banerjee intends to intensify street-level politics in the months ahead, shifting the contest from institutions to public spaces as the Assembly election approaches.
