TMC leaders, newly elected MLAs at Mamata’s home to discuss future strategy

PTI, May 6, 2026, Kolkata: Senior TMC leaders and newly elected MLAs gathered at outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence here on Wednesday evening for a meeting to discuss their strategy and allocation of responsibilities following the party’s setback in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was also present.

TMC spokesperson and Beliaghata MLA Kunal Ghosh said all decisions regarding future responsibilities rest with Mamata Banerjee.

“Who will get which responsibility and what assignment will be given to whom, that is entirely Didi’s decision, and all of us will abide by it. Whatever decision she takes will be final,” Ghosh told reporters after the meeting.

He said the party still believes the BJP’s victory was not proper, alleging manipulation and claiming that the Election Commission was part and parcel of the saffron party’s result.

Meanwhile, additional police deployment and area security arrangements outside TMC national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee’s Harish Mukherjee Road residence and Camac Street office in Kolkata have been withdrawn following a review, though his existing security categorisation remains unchanged.

Banerjee continues to receive Z plus-category police protection.

Officials said the withdrawal of the area management deployment took effect early Wednesday morning following fresh instructions.

Initially, in the morning, a scissor barricade was seen covering the footpath in front of his Harish Mukherjee Road residence, with no police personnel present.

Later, police vans arrived and packed up chairs, scissor barricades and even a baggage scanner from inside the gates of his residence.

The police kiosk and shed built outside the residence have not yet been dismantled, but are expected to be removed soon, an official said.

Sources said the earlier protocol included route sanitisation and advance movement checks by police personnel before the TMC national general secretary travelled to any destination.

However, under the revised arrangement, no police vehicle will conduct advance route checks or ensure traffic clearance ahead of Banerjee’s movement, officials indicated.

Local residents expressed relief, saying they had faced years of restrictions on movement.

They said Harish Mukherjee Road is widely used by vehicles to avoid congestion on SP Mukherjee Road, but a large stretch near the residence had remained occupied due to security arrangements.