Bengal Polls: Trinamool Congress Denies I-PAC Operation Pause Amid Election Preparations The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday dismissed a news report alleging that the political consultancy Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) had suspended its operations in West Bengal ahead of the state Assembly elections, calling the claim “completely baseless.” The ruling party’s statement came as the state prepares for polls scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with vote counting set for May 4. In a detailed response, the TMC clarified that I-PAC, which has managed the party’s election campaigns, including the 2021 Assembly elections, remained fully operational and actively engaged in campaign activities. The party accused the report of being a “deliberate attempt to create confusion on the ground” and emphasized that the people of Bengal would “respond democratically” to such misinformation. The disputed report, published by the Deccan Herald, claimed that I-PAC’s Bengal team had been instructed to take a 20-day leave, with a review expected on May 11. However, the TMC denied this, asserting that campaign efforts were proceeding as planned. The party also highlighted the ongoing legal battles over the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) recent raids on I-PAC offices, which it described as an attempt to disrupt its electoral preparations. The ED’s actions have intensified in recent months. In April, the agency conducted searches at multiple locations linked to I-PAC officials, including premises in Kolkata. One of the firm’s directors, Vinesh Chandel, was arrested on April 13 and remanded to 10 days’ custody in connection with a coal smuggling case.#mamata_banerjee #trinamool_congress #enforcement_directorate #calcutta_high_court #indian_political_action_committee
