West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's dramatic, on-the-street confrontation with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) this week has sharply refocused the political narrative in the state, months before crucial Assembly elections. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief's direct intervention during searches at the premises of political consultancy I-PAC has reignited her classic 'street fighter' persona, a move her party insiders believe offers significant political advantage.
The Confrontation: A Throwback to Classic Mamata
On Thursday, January 9, 2026, Mamata Banerjee arrived at the upscale Loudon Street residence of Pratik Jain, a director of I-PAC, as ED officials began a search operation. I-PAC has been the TMC's election strategy advisor since 2021. The CM, after locating the apartment, emerged with a laptop and a green folder. She then proceeded to I-PAC's Salt Lake Sector V office, about 12 km away.
There, flanked by police and party workers, she entered the building, retrieved files, and staged a four-hour dharna (sit-in protest). From this impromptu stage, she launched a fierce attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. She accused the ED of acting at the BJP's behest to steal confidential data related to her party's election preparations.
This swift, combative response was a stark reminder of the political identity that propelled Banerjee to power: the grassroots agitator who took on the Left Front for decades over issues like Singur and Nandigram. The very next day, Friday, January 10, she led a padayatra (foot march) in Kolkata, mobilising the party's top leadership. Simultaneously, demonstrations were held across Bengal, with her nephew and key strategist Abhishek Banerjee addressing rallies in Nadia and the politically vital Matua community's Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas.
Why TMC Believes This is a Winning Strategy
Within the TMC, there is a strong belief that such confrontations with central agencies have historically worked in Mamata Banerjee's favour. Senior leaders cite three key precedents:
- Her February 2019 dharna after CBI raids on then Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in the Saradha case.
- Her intervention in February 2021 when a CBI team visited Abhishek Banerjee's home in a coal smuggling probe.
- Her sit-in at the CBI office in May 2021 after the arrest of several TMC ministers in the Narada sting case.
Party insiders argue this strategy serves multiple purposes. First, it reinforces the Chief Minister's image as a courageous leader who stands by her associates in times of distress. Second, it positions her as the principal national opposition figure capable of taking on the BJP-led Centre head-on. Third, and most crucially ahead of polls, it provides a powerful rallying point to unite a party sometimes riven by factionalism, papering over internal cracks and energising the rank-and-file cadre.
"For our party chief, this was a moment to show what she really is, a street fighter. She always scored politically through such brazen moves," a senior TMC leader close to the CM was quoted as saying. Another leader highlighted the sensitive nature of I-PAC's work, suggesting the firm likely holds critical campaign strategy documents the party would not want falling into the hands of an investigative agency.
The Opposition's Counterattack: Allegations of Impropriety and Crime
The BJP and the Left have launched a fierce counter-offensive, framing Mamata Banerjee's actions as an abuse of power and an obstruction of justice.
Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned her conduct in strong legal terms. "As a student of law, I would also like to say that this is also a crime. It is a penal offence," he stated in New Delhi. He questioned her "anxiety" over an investigation into the coal smuggling scam, insinuating that her actions indicated the presence of highly sensitive material.
State BJP leader Rahul Sinha accused her of "misusing her power to suppress documents that would prove her corruption."
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty pointed out the selective nature of her interventions. "She never rushed to the homes of Partha Chatterjee and Jyotipriya Mallick when they were arrested. However, she rushed to Abhishek Banerjee, Rajeev Kumar, and Pratik Jain's house," he noted, arguing this pattern suggests she was protecting specific, critical information from the agencies.
As the political theatre unfolds, with TMC MPs even being dragged during a protest march in Delhi, the stage is set for a high-octane electoral battle in Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has doubled down on her core identity, betting that the image of the defiant underdog fighting a powerful Centre will resonate more with voters than allegations of corruption and impropriety leveled by her opponents. Whether this gambit will successfully counter anti-incumbency and internal dissent remains the central question for the 2026 Assembly polls.
