KOLKATA: Ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal suffered a major setback after its political consultancy agency I-PAC on Sunday announced suspension of its operations in the state just four days ahead of the first phase of the assembly elections on April 23.
The I-PAC authorities made the announcement through emails sent to its employees on Saturday midnight.
“In view of certain legal issues, management has decided to pause operations in West Bengal with immediate effect,” the email states. “In this backdrop, all employees and team members are requested to take a short leave for a period of 20 days. At the end of this period, by May 11, we will regroup, review the situation and decide next steps,” the email read.
Political observers in the city felt that the I-PAC’s decision was highly significant for just less than 80 hours before the first phase polls.
They said that the TMC’s organisational setup completely depends on field-level workers of the I-PAC engaged by Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the party and MP from the Diamond Harbour seat.
I-PAC has been facing legal battles in the Supreme Court since January after the raids carried out separately by the Enforcement Directorate at the residence of its director Prateek Jain and the agency’s Salt Lake office on January 8.
Meanwhile, rubbishing the report published in an English daily this morning, TMC called it “false and baseless”. “…I-PAC is still attached with Trinamool Congress,” the party said.
CM Mamata Banerjee also reacted to the development at a poll rally later in the day. Without naming I-PAC, she said pressure was being put on those working with her party and promised support if jobs were affected. “If the employees of the agency are threatened, they will join us. We will give them jobs. I will not allow even one boy to lose his job,” she said.