TMC 2.0 is born, but will it find a place in the Sun?
It's official now, the Trinamul Congress (TMC) party has split, with the majority of 59 out of 80 MLAs opting out of the party founded and led by Mamata Banerjee.
With the 2026 Assembly polls drawing closer, Malda has once again emerged as a crucial political battleground, witnessing aggressive mobilisation, defections and sharp exchanges among the Trinamul Congress (TMC), Congress and the CPI-M.
The political temperature in the district has risen significantly following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent public meeting in Malda.
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While Congress leader Mausam Noor, after returning from the TMC, has stepped up her attack on both the BJP and the ruling TMC, the latter has responded with an aggressive strategy of organisational expansion by inducting leaders and workers from rival parties.
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In a significant political development, Aruna Mardi, former wife of BJP Malda (North) MP Khagen Murmu, joined the Trinamul Congress in Kolkata on Wednesday, ahead of the Assembly elections. Her induction has sparked intense political discussion across Malda, particularly within BJP circles.
The TMC has also made inroads at the grassroots level. In Mothabari Assembly constituency, cracks appeared in both the BJP and Congress as several local leaders switched allegiance. Sobha Mandal, a BJP panchayat member from the Rajnagar area, along with her husband Nibaran Mandal and supporters, joined the TMC. Simultaneously, Tumin Sheikh, Congress president of the Rajnagar area, also joined the ruling party.
All the new entrants formally joined the TMC at the party office in Mothabari Assembly constituency, where they were welcomed by Mothabari MLA and minister of state Sabina Yasmin, who handed over party flags to them.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Mausam Noor, a family member of former Rajya Sabha MP ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, during her visit to various parts of Malda on Wednesday, launched a veiled attack on the TMC while directly targeting the BJP. Without naming the ruling party, she said,
“In 2021, people were fooled in the name of NRC. Similarly, in 2026, SIR is being used to mislead the people. Despite the country having a Constitution, ordinary citizens are being made fearful and harassed. This is a conspiracy of the BJP and the TMC. But people can no longer be fooled. This time, they will take the right decision and vote for the right political party.”
It may be recalled that in the 2021 Assembly elections, the TMC won eight of the 12 Assembly seats in Malda district, while the BJP secured four. Despite an electoral understanding, both the Congress and CPI-M failed to retain any seats.
The CPI-M has also intensified its political activities in the district. A few days ago, the party organised rallies at English Bazaar and held protest programmes on roads near Malda College.
On Wednesday, Malda district CPI-M secretary Koushik Mishra, addressing a press conference, criticised the police and administration for initiating suo motu cases against senior CPI-M leaders, including state secretary Md Salim, Satarup Ghosh, Minakshi Mukherjee, several district leaders and nearly 200 party workers who participated in a motorcycle rally.
Mr Mishra also alleged administrative obstruction in organising party programmes. He said the CPI-M was forced to approach the Calcutta High Court after being denied permission to hold a meeting at Brindabani Maidan. Although the court directed the police to allow an alternative venue at Malda College ground, permission was later denied citing ongoing examinations.
“From day one, the police and administration have been in non-cooperation mode and are harassing us to prevent political programmes,” Mr Mishra alleged.
“We are not afraid of police cases. We will respond by moving the high court again against the Malda police,” he added.
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