Anubrata Mondal arrest: Fear of loss at grassroots looms large in TMC

KOLKATA: The arrest of Anubrata Mondal in an alleged cattle scam not only threatens his three-decade political career, which has been marked by controversies, but is also likely to have an adverse impact on the TMC’s performance in the panchayat elections next year.

Party leaders also fear debacle in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

More than the arrest of former minister Partha Chatterjee, the TMC is more concerned about the impact of handcuffs put on Mondal by the CBI. District presidents like him are considered the main architects who ensure victories in rural polls.

“A minister hardly plays a role in rural elections. It is the district-level functionaries who work at the booth level under district presidents like Mondal,” said a TMC leader, adding that in the 2018 panchayat poll, the TMC bagged all 462 panchayat samiti seats and 30 zilla parishad seats in Birbhum district where Mondal lives.

“It was possible because of his election tactics as the party’s district president. So his arrest will hurt more than Chatterjee’s arrest,’’ the leader added.

Mondal first came into the limelight during the 2013 panchayat polls, when he asked his supporters to burn down houses of opponents and hurl bombs at police if they tried to stop the arson. On several occasions, he allegedly incited violence while delivering speeches.  

Although Mondal’s comments drew sharp reactions, Mamata Banerjee made light of his remarks, citing his medical condition of hypoxia. “Though TMC is yet to take action against Mondal, the party has also not said anything against BJP’s misuse of central agencies. Won’t it have an adverse impact on the upcoming polls?" asked a TMC leader. 

KOLKATA: The arrest of Anubrata Mondal in an alleged cattle scam not only threatens his three-decade political career, which has been marked by controversies, but is also likely to have an adverse impact on the TMC’s performance in the panchayat elections next year. Party leaders also fear debacle in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. More than the arrest of former minister Partha Chatterjee, the TMC is more concerned about the impact of handcuffs put on Mondal by the CBI. District presidents like him are considered the main architects who ensure victories in rural polls. “A minister hardly plays a role in rural elections. It is the district-level functionaries who work at the booth level under district presidents like Mondal,” said a TMC leader, adding that in the 2018 panchayat poll, the TMC bagged all 462 panchayat samiti seats and 30 zilla parishad seats in Birbhum district where Mondal lives. “It was possible because of his election tactics as the party’s district president. So his arrest will hurt more than Chatterjee’s arrest,’’ the leader added. READ HERE | Cattle smuggling racket that TMC's Anubrata Mondal was involved in had a deep nexus Mondal first came into the limelight during the 2013 panchayat polls, when he asked his supporters to burn down houses of opponents and hurl bombs at police if they tried to stop the arson. On several occasions, he allegedly incited violence while delivering speeches.   Although Mondal’s comments drew sharp reactions, Mamata Banerjee made light of his remarks, citing his medical condition of hypoxia. “Though TMC is yet to take action against Mondal, the party has also not said anything against BJP’s misuse of central agencies. Won’t it have an adverse impact on the upcoming polls?" asked a TMC leader.