Trinamool Congress

The All India Trinamool Congress (transl.All India Grassroots Congress; abbr. AITC) is an Indian political party that is mainly influential in the state of West Bengal.[12] It was founded by Mamata Banerjee on 1 January 1998 as a breakaway faction from the Indian National Congress and rapidly rose to prominence in the politics of West Bengal under her leadership. Presently, it is ruling the state of West Bengal beside being the third-largest party in India in terms of number of MPs and MLAs, just after BJP and INC.

All India Trinamool Congress
AbbreviationAITC (official)
TMC (alternatives)
ChairpersonMamata Banerjee
(Chief Minister of West Bengal)
General SecretaryAbhishek Banerjee
Parliamentary ChairpersonSudip Bandyopadhyay
Lok Sabha LeaderSudip Bandyopadhyay
Rajya Sabha LeaderDerek O' Brien
FounderMamata Banerjee
Founded1 January 1998 (1998-01-01)
Split fromIndian National Congress
Headquarters30B Harish Chatterjee Street, Kolkata 700026
Student wingTrinamool Chaatra Parishad
Youth wingAll India Trinamool Youth Congress
Women's wingTrinamool Mahila Congress
Labour wingIndian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress
Peasant's wingTrinamool Kisan Khet Majdur Congress
Ideology
Political positionCentre[9] to centre-left[10]
Colours  Green
SloganJoy Bangla
Khela Hobe (Electoral Slogan)
Ma Mati Manush (Political Slogan)
ECI StatusState Party[11]
Alliance
Seats in Lok Sabha
22 / 543
Seats in Rajya Sabha
13 / 245
Seats in State Legislative Assemblies
227 / 4,036
Indian states
220 / 294
(West Bengal)
5 / 60
(Meghalaya)
1 / 60
(Arunachal Pradesh)
Number of states and union territories in government
1 / 31
Election symbol
Party flag
Website
aitcofficial.org

The party won a historic victory in the 2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election by defeating the 34-year-long Left Front rule, world's longest democratically elected communist government. It has won a three-time majority in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and has been the ruling party in West Bengal since 20 May 2011. AITC is led by Mamata Banerjee as the chairperson of the party.

History

Founding

After being a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) for over 26 years, Mamata Banerjee quit the INC and established the TMC in 1998. The official election symbol of the TMC is Jora Ghas Phul (two flowers with grass). In the 1998 Lok Sabha polls, TMC won 7 seats. In the next Lok Sabha election that was held in 1999, Trinamool Congress won 8 seats with BJP, thus increasing its tally by one.[13] In 2000, TMC won the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Elections.[14]

The party initially joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), as part of the Vajpayee government, and was initially quite successful, winning 7 seats in its first election in 1998.[15][16] In the 2001 Vidhan Sabha elections, the TMC won 60 seats in alliance with the INC, becoming the principal opposition party.[17] They suffered big losses in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections[18] and the 2006 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election,[16][19] and subsequently left the NDA.

Nandigram movement

In December 2006, the people of Nandigram were given notice by Haldia Development Authority that a major portion of Nandigram would be seized and 70,000 people be evicted from their homes to make way for a chemical plant.[20] People started movement against this land acquisition and the TMC helped lead the movement. The Bhumi Uchchhed Pratirodh Committee ('Committee against Land Evictions'; BUPC) was formed to protest against the eviction. On 14 March 2007 the police opened fire and killed 14 villagers and many more went missing. Many sources claimed (and which was supported by the Central Bureau of Investigation in its report) that armed Communist Party of India (Marxist) cadres, along with police, fired on protesters in Nandigram[21] Many intellectuals protested in the streets and this incident gave birth to a new movement. Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) leader Nanda Patra led the movement. The events led to a significant backlash against the CPI(M) government, and were a major factor in the TMC's success in the elections that followed.[22]

Post-Nandigram/Singur elections

In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, TMC won 19 seats in West Bengal, in alliance with the Congress. They subsequently became a part of Manmohan Singh's government, with Banerjee serving as Minister of Railways.

In the 2010 Kolkata municipal election, the party won 97 out of 141 seats. It also won a majority of other municipalities.[23]

In government

Mamata Banerjee, Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal and Chairperson of All India Trinamool Congress.

In the 2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, the TMC-led alliance that included the INC and SUCI(C) won 227 seats in the 294-seat legislature, defeating the incumbent Left Front government which had been in power for 34 years.[24][25][26] TMC alone won 184 seats, enabling it to govern without an alliance. Subsequently, it won a by-election in Basirhat and two Congress MLAs switched to the TMC, giving it a total of 187 seats. Banerjee, an MP at the time, had not contested the election and had to transfer to the safe seat of Bhabanipur.[27]

On 18 September 2012 Banerjee announced her decision to withdraw support to the UPA after the TMC's demands to undo government-instituted changes including FDI in retail, increase in the price of diesel and limiting the number of subsidised cooking gas cylinders for households, were not met.[28][29]

The 2014 Lok Sabha elections saw the TMC dominate the state, winning 34 out of the 42 seats. It also qualified for national party status, as the TMC had received 6% of the vote from five different states (West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Jharkhand and Assam).[30][31] On 2 September 2016 the Election Commission recognized TMC as a national political party.[32]

The party was reelected in the 2016 election to a supermajority government, and Banerjee continued as chief minister.[33]

The party won the most seats in West Bengal in the 2019 Indian general election, but suffered significant losses to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which for the first time established itself as a major force in the state.[34][35] After the election, the party's status came under revision by the Election Commission of India, due to a loss in presence in most states outside West Bengal.[36]

Banerjee's government was reelected again in the 2021 state election by an unexpectedly large margin over the BJP. Prior to the election, several high-profile TMC members such as Mukul Roy and Suvendu Adhikari had defected to the BJP. Despite the large winning margin, Banerjee was defeated by Adhikari in the Nandigram seat,[37] where she had transferred to fight Adhikari head-on.[38]

Presence in other states

Arunachal Pradesh

In the 2009 Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, Trinamool Congress won 5 seats and got 15.04% of the total votes.

In 2020, an independent MLA Chakat Aboh joined the TMC.

Assam

In the 2001 Assam Legislative Assembly election, Jamal Uddin Ahmed won Badarpur constituency. He was a Trinamool Congress candidate.[39] Since then, the party has not emphasized on any other organization. Later in 2018, the work of the organization started again under the leadership of M. Shanti Kumar Singha. In the 2021 assembly elections, it was decided to field candidates from 14 constituencies on behalf of the party.

All-India president of Congress's women's wing and its national spokesperson and former Silchar MP Sushmita Dev joined the Trinamool Congress in August 2021.[40] She is now an MP of Rajya Sabha.

Bihar

On 23 November 2021 Kirti Azad, a 3-time MP from Darbhanga and Pavan Varma, a former adviser to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, joined TMC.[41][42][43]

Goa

With the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election approaching, the work of organizing the party started from September 2021. The work began with the participation of seven-time Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro. Since then, the party has increased its membership in Goa. Former footballer Denzil Franco and former tennis player Leander Paes were among those who joined the party. On 13 November 2021, Mahua Moitra was appointed as the in-charge of the party in Goa to prepare it to contest in the Assembly election.[44] MLA Churchill Alemao joined TMC on 13 December.[45][46]

Haryana

On 23 November 2021 Ashok Tanwar, former president of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, joined TMC.[41][42][43] Sukhendu Shekhar Roy was appointed as in-charge of the party's Haryana unit on 25 November.[47]

Kerala

Kerala Pradesh Trinamool Congress was launched in 2009. In 2014 its candidates contested 5 seats under the party symbol in the parliamentary election. Leaders like Mukul Roy, Derek O'Brien, Mahua Moitra and Nadimul Haque visited Kerala and gave directions for further development in the party's activities.In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress candidates contested from five parliamentary constituencies. The 2014 Lok Sabha elections made the Trinamool Congress presence known in Kerala, although it failed to garner significant votes. In the 2016 state election TMC contested in 70 assembly constituencies but due to technical errors, the party symbol was not accepted. District Committees in all 14 districts of Kerala. Constituency Committees in 95 constituencies out of 140 constituencies. Kerala Pradesh Trinamool Congress also has a 59-member state working committee. Kerala Pradesh trinamool Congress State President Dr. Harish Palathingal.The working president is Shamsu Payaningal. The party is active in all political spheres of the state of Kerala. The Trinamool Congress is aligned with the India Front but is not part of the UDF or the LDF in the state...[48][49][50][51]

Manipur

In the 2012 assembly elections of Manipur, the party won 8 seats and got 10% of the total votes. It became the only opposition party in the Manipur Legislative Assembly.[52] In the 2017 assembly elections the party won only one seat (from Thanga) and received 5.4% of the total votes cast in the elections.[53] Its lone member of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Tongbram Robindro Singh, switched to the BJP government in Manipur in 2017. As of 18 June 2020, he has withdrawn support from the BJP, following the disqualification of 7 of its members, to support the Indian National Congress.[54]

Meghalaya

TMC candidate Purno Agitok Sangma won the Tura constituency by a huge margin in the 2004 Lok Sabha election.

The party's Meghalaya unit was launched in 2021.[55][56]

On 24 November 2021 former Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mukul Sangma along with other 11 MLAs of INC joined TMC which made TMC the largest opposition party in Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.[57][58][59][60]

On 29 November Charles Pyngrope was appointed as the president of AITC Meghalaya unit.[61] In 2022, one defected MLA who has earlier switched from INC quit the party and joined BJP.[62]

In the 2023 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election, the Trinamool Congress led by Mukul Sangma contested 56 of the 60 seats and won 5 of the seats, becoming a State Party.

Mizoram

In 2023, an independent MLA Dr. K Beichhua joined the TMC.

Punjab

Shortly before the Assembly elections in 2017, the party started working on the Punjab organization under the leadership of Jagat Singh. After that, during the assembly elections, it was decided that they would field candidates for 20 constituencies on behalf of the party. The party, however, did not gain any seats in Punjab in that election. After that the party's organisational work in Punjab almost completely stopped. From 2019, the party started a new committee under the leadership of Manjit Singh. Since then, the party has had a continuous presence in Punjab.

Tripura

Under the leadership of Sudip Roy Barman, former leader of opposition and then MLA of Tripura, all six MLAs of the Indian National Congress defected to the TMC in 2016, along with many ex-ministers, former MLAs, senior state and district level leaders, in addition to thousands of party workers and supporters, to fight CPI(M), who were running the Government in Tripura.[63] Later in the presence of Himanta Biswa Sarma and Dharmendra Pradhan, Barman defected to the BJP along with all of the other TMC MLAs of the Tripura Legislative Assembly after they cross-voted against party lines in the 2017 Indian presidential election.[64]

TMC won one seat in Ambassa Municipal council in the 2021 Tripura civic polls despite widespread violence. TMC emerged as the second largest party in terms of vote-share in the 120 seats it contested out of 334 seats as it garnered 19.9% of the votes in those seats.[65]

Uttar Pradesh

The party's state unit in Uttar Pradesh was set up in 2005.[66]

In 2012, Shyam Sunder Sharma contested the by-poll to Mant constituency and won on a TMC ticket.[67][68][69] He later defected to BSP.[70][71]

Neeraj Rai is the current president of TMC's state unit in Uttar Pradesh.[72][66][73][74][75][76]

In October 2021, two senior Congress leaders of Uttar Pradesh – Rajeshpati Tripathi and Laliteshpati Tripathi, who are the grandson and the great-grandson of former UP Chief Minister Kamalapati Tripathi, joined the TMC in the presence of Mamata Banerjee.[77][78][79][80]

Electoral performance

General election results

Year Lok Sabha Party leader Seats
contested
Seats won
(in state)
Seats +/- Vote %
(in whole country)
Vote swing Ref.
1998 12th Lok Sabha Mamata Banerjee 29
7 / 29
Increase 7 2.42% [81]
1999 13th Lok Sabha 29
8 / 29
Increase 1 2.57% Increase 0.15% [82]
2004 14th Lok Sabha 33
2 / 33
Decrease 6 2.07% Decrease 0.5% [83]
2009 15th Lok Sabha 26
19 / 26
Increase 17 3.20% Increase 1.15% [84]
2014 16th Lok Sabha 42
34 / 42
Increase 15 3.84% Increase 0.64% [85]
2019 17th Lok Sabha 42
22 / 42
Decrease 12 4.11% Increase 0.27% [86]

State Legislative Assembly elections

Vote share in consecutive West Bengal Assembly elections
2021
48.02%
2016
44.91%
2011
38.93%
2006
26.64%
2001
30.66%
Legislative Assembly elections[87]
Election Year Party leader Seats
contested
Seats won Change in seats Percentage
of votes
Vote swing Popular vote Result
Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly
2009 26
5 / 60
Increase 5 15.04% 86,406 Others
Assam Legislative Assembly
2001[88] 23
1 / 126
Increase 1 0.55% 58,361 Others
2011 126
1 / 126
Steady 2.05% 283,683 Others
Goa Legislative Assembly
2022 Luizinho Faleiro 29
0 / 40
5.2% 49,480 Others
Manipur Legislative Assembly
2012 Maibam Kunjo 60
7 / 60
Increase 7 17% 237,517 Opposition
2017 60
1 / 60
Decrease 6 1.4% Decrease15.6% 23,304 Others
Meghalaya Legislative Assembly
2023 Mukul Sangma 56
5 / 60
Increase 5 13.78% Increase13.38% 255,742 Opposition
Tripura Legislative Assembly
2018 24
0 / 60
0.3% 6,989 Others
2023 Pijush Kanti Biswas 28
0 / 60
0.88% 22,316 Others
Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly
2012 (By-election) 1
1 / 403
Increase 1 Others
West Bengal Legislative Assembly
2001 Mamata Banerjee 226
60 / 294
Increase 60 30.66% 11,229,396 Opposition
2006 Mamata Banerjee 257
30 / 294
Decrease 30 26.64% Decrease 4.02% 10,512,153 Opposition
2011 Mamata Banerjee 226
184 / 294
Increase 154 38.93% Increase 12.29% 18,547,678 Government
2016 Mamata Banerjee 293
211 / 294
Increase 27 44.91% Increase 5.98% 24,564,523 Government
2021 Mamata Banerjee 290
215 / 294
Increase 4 48.02% Increase 3.11% 28,968,281 Government

Party symbols and slogans

A party office of the Trinamool Congress at Jagadishpur Hat, Howrah.

The party name and election symbol represents 'grassroots'– the name contains the Bengali word trinamool, which literally means grassroots, and the symbol is a sapling emerging from the ground.[89] The symbol is known as Jora Ghas Phul (Bengali: grass and flower; two flowers with grass).[90] The usage of "All India" in the party name represents the rejection of "elitist" Indian National Congress from which it broke apart from.[89]

Ma Mati Manush (Bengali: মা মাটি মানুষ) was primarily a slogan, coined by Mamata Banerjee. The term is literally translated as "Mother, Motherland and People". The slogan became very popular in West Bengal at the time of the 2011 assembly election. Mamata Banerjee wrote a Bengali book with the same title.[91] A song was also recorded with the same title.[92][93]

The slogan Joy Bangla is also officially used by Mamata Banerjee and by her party Trinamool Congress as part of attempt to create a territorial and ethnolinguistic identity for Bengalis in India.[94][95] It is used in particular, as a closing remark for political speeches.[96][97][98]

In the 2021 assembly election, the party used a song "Khela Hobe" across the state. The song was penned by Debangshu Bhattacharya, a party youth wing member. The "Khela Hobe" term has been used across India by several opposition parties and to catalyze the movements against the establishment on multiple issues throughout the nation.[99][100]

Leadership

The highest decision-making body of the party is its Core Committee.

State/Union Territorial President and in-charge

This is a list of the official state, territorial and regional committees of the All India Trinamool Congress.

State/UT Committee President In-charge
State Committees of the All India Trinamool Congress
Andhra Pradesh AITC Andhra Pradesh NA TBD
Arunachal Pradesh AITC Arunachal Pradesh Chakat Aboh TBD
Assam AITC Assam Mr. Ripun Bora Mr. Sushmita Dev
Bihar AITC Bihar Mr. Kirti Azad TBD
Chhattisgarh AITC Chhattisgarh NA TBD
Goa AITC Goa Mr. Samil Volvoikar Mr. Kirti Azad
Gujarat AITC Gujarat Mr. Jitendra Kumar Khadayata TBD
Haryana AITC Haryana NA Sukhendu Shekhar Roy
Himachal Pradesh AITC Himachal Pradesh NA TBD
Jharkhand AITC Jharkhand NA TBD
Karnataka AITC Karnataka NA TBD
Kerala AITC Kerala Dr. Harish Palathingal Derek O'Brien
Madhya Pradesh AITC Madhya Pradesh NA TBD
Maharashtra AITC Maharashtra NA TBD
Manipur AITC Manipur TBD TBD
Meghalaya AITC Meghalaya Mr. Charles Pyngrope Mr. Manas Bhunia
Mizoram AITC Mizoram NA TBD
Nagaland AITC Nagaland NA TBD
Odisha AITC Odisha NA TBD
Punjab AITC Punjab Manjit Singh TBD
Rajasthan AITC Rajasthan NA TBD
Sikkim AITC Sikkim NA TBD
Tamil Nadu AITC Tamil Nadu Dr. Sabita Tamilini TBD
Telangana AITC Telangana NA TBD
Tripura AITC Tripura TBD Rajib Banerjee
Uttar Pradesh AITC Uttar Pradesh Neeraj Rai TBD
Uttarkhand AITC Uttarkhand NA TBD
West Bengal AITC West Bengal Mr. Subrata Bakshi TBD
Union Territorial Committees of the All India Trinamool Congress
Andaman and Nicobar Islands AITC Andaman and Nicobar Islands Ayan Mandal TBD
Chandigarh AITC Chandigarh NA NA
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu AITC Dadra and Nagar Haveli NA TBD
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu AITC Daman and Diu NA TBD
Lakshadweep AITC Lakshadweep NA TBD
Delhi AITC Delhi NA TBD
Jammu and Kashmir AITC Jammu and Kashmir NA TBD
Ladakh AITC Ladakh NA TBD
Puducherry AITC Puducherry NA TBD

Corruption cases and conviction

2014 Saradha Group financial scandal

The Saradha Group financial scandal and the Rose Valley financial scandal came to light during her tenure and some of her cabinet ministers were accused of money laundering and have been incarcerated.[102] One of her paintings was also sold to Sudipto Sen (central figure in the Saradha scam) for 1.8 crore (equivalent to 2.4 crore or US$300,000 in 2023), while 20 more of her pictures were seized from other Saradha Group shareholders.[103][104][105][106][107] She has been criticised by opposition parties for not taking adequate steps against her own ministers who tried to cover-up their deeds.[108][109] Sudipto Sen was arrested from Kashmir.[110] The Shyamal Sen Commission, set up by the Chief Minister, was able to return 185 crore (equivalent to 296 crore or US$37 million in 2023) to the depositors.[111] Leaders from Congress and CPI(M) like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Sujan Chakraborty, Biman Bose were also accused in this scam.[112] Despite Bankshall Court's order to investigate into this matter, no action has been taken by CBI against any of these leaders (other than TMC leaders) to date.[113]

Rose Valley financial scandal

The Rose Valley financial scandal was a major financial scam and alleged political scandal in India caused by the collapse of a Ponzi scheme run by Rose Valley Group where multiple MPs from Banerjee's party were accused of money laundering.[114][115][116]

2016 Narada scam

The Narada sting operation was carried out by Mathew Samuel in 2011 for the Indian newsmagazine Tehelka and published on Naradanews.com just before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections. The sting targeted high-ranking officials and politicians of Banerjee's political party All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).[117][118]

During her tenure she challenged the federal system of India when she ordered the arrest of CBI officials, who arrived in Kolkata to investigate the Saradha Group financial scandal.[119] But CBI's attempted arrest of Kolkata Police Commissioner was also an attack on federalism.[120]

2022 Coal Scam Case

Rujira Banerjee, the wife of Abhishek Banerjee, the Lok Sabha member and national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday after being prevented from boarding a flight to the UAE earlier this week due to a "lookout" notice issued by the central organization. Rujira received a summons to appear before the organization on 8 June when she arrived at the airport. She was questioned by the ED in relation to the coal theft case last year. She had previously been questioned by the CBI in the same matter in 2021.[121][122]

According to officials, as quoted by the news agency PTI, Rujira appeared before the ED in Kolkata on Thursday for questioning about the coal theft case. Rujira was being questioned by a team of five officials, including those from New Delhi. In a money-laundering case related to a West Bengal coal scam, the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday stayed a Delhi High Court decision allowing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to question Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in Delhi, but allowed the investigation agency to question him in Kolkata after providing 24 hours' notice.[123][124]

2022 Cattle Smuggling Case

Anubrata Mondal, a powerful member of the Trinamool Congress who was detained on August 11, has been placed in the custody of the CBI until August 20. On the evening of August 11, Mondal was transferred from Asansol to the CBI office in Kolkata's Nizam Palace, where he is currently being questioned.[125][126]

Mondal is one of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's most dependable aides, and he was in charge of all TMC operations in Birbhum. The ongoing cross-border cattle smuggling case, which allegedly involves a connection between BSF, Customs, and police personnel with racketeers and politicians, has come back into the spotlight as a result of the arrest of the TMC strongman.[127][128]

2022 West Bengal School Service Recruitment Scam

West Bengal School Service Recruitment Scam is an ongoing education SSC scam in West Bengal, India since 2022.[129] The scam is being currently investigated jointly by Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate.[130] The scam was revealed, following the arrest of Partha Chatterjee, a Trinamool Congress leader, who has served as the Minister of Education in the Mamata Banerjee's cabinet until his arrest on 23 July 2022.[131]

Allegations of Extortion

Before Trinamool (AITC) took office in West Bengal in 2011, the regional AITC party leaders grew significantly in strength. The leaders allegedly began requesting a portion of the funds used to construct any new buildings in the region. As time went on, various groups in various locations began to emerge and link with various local AITC leaders. The entire syndicate company is alleged to have prospered when AITC ultimately won the 2011 Legislative Assembly election and began their tenure.[132][133][134]

See also

References

  1. "Bengali pride,sub-nationalism emerge as rallying points in West Bengal assembly polls". Deccan Herald. 23 March 2021. This is for the first time we have made Bengali pride our main poll plank. Bengali pride is not just about Bengalis; it appeals to all sons of the soil," senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy told PTI.
  2. "The Bengali card: Is Mamata trying to give TMC a new ideological core?". India Today. 26 November 2020. The TMC has decided to counter the BJP's Hindutva majoritarian politics by invoking Bengali sub-nationalism ahead of the State Assembly polls. With Mamata Banerjee setting the tone herself, TMC leaders have started attacking the BJP as a party of 'outsiders' trying to mount an assault on Bengalis.
  3. "In Bengal, speak Bengali: Squeezed by BJP's Hindutva, Mamata Banerjee grasps at Bengali nationalism". Scroll.in. 26 June 2019. These crises pushed the Trinamool to declare its Bengali nativist line even more vociferously, hoping that this new narrative will break the party's free fall.
  4. Jawhar Sircar (28 March 2021). "From Liberalism To Secularism, the Battle for Bengal Has Just Begun". The Wire.
  5. Howladar, Sumit. "Trinamool, Politics and Poribarton Comprehending the Ideological Connection" (PDF). University of North Bengal. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  6. "'India's soul at stake': Bengalis vote in divisive election". The Guardian. 26 March 2021. The TMC has implemented a progressive development agenda, but it has also been mired in accusations of corruption and thuggery.
  7. "Secular ideals of Indira Gandhi is more relevant today:TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee". The Economic Times.
  8. Bhaumik, Subir (13 May 2011). "Defeat rocks India's elected communists – Features". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011. The Congress alliance, led by populist Mamata Banerji, has won elections in the West Bengal state assembly.
  9. Bhaumik, Subir (13 May 2011). "Defeat rocks India's elected communists – Features". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  10. "NCP, TMC and CPI lose national party status, AAP earns coveted tag Dated 10.04.2023". India: India Today. 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  11. Subramonian, Surabhi, ed. (10 April 2014). "Lok Sabha Elections 2014: Know your party symbols!". Daily News and Analysis.
  12. "Statistical Report on General Elections, 1999 to the 13th Lok Sabha" (PDF). Election Commission of India.
  13. "The fall and rise of Trinamool Congress". The Indian Express. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  14. "Statistical Report on General Elections, 1998 to the 12th Lok Sabha" (PDF). Election Commission of India.
  15. "Mamata, the street-fighting politician and Left nemesis". India Today. 13 May 2011. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011.
  16. "Key Highlights of General Election, 2001 to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal" (PDF). Election Commission of India.
  17. "Statistical Report on General Elections, 2004 to the 14th Lok Sabha" (PDF). Election Commission of India.
  18. "Why did the NDA lose West Bengal?". Rediff. PTI. 14 May 2004. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  19. "Nandigram says 'No!' to Dow's chemical hub". International Action Center – Boston. December 2007. Archived from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  20. Sarin, Ritu (19 December 2007). "CPM cadres joined cops to fire, now beating up witnesses: CBI". Indian Express. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  21. Bhaumik, Subir (13 May 2011). "Defeat rocks India's elected communists – Features". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  22. "Mamata wins Bengal civic polls, demands early elections". NDTV. 2 June 2010.
  23. "The Anti-Communist of West Bengal". Forbes. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  24. Bardhan, Pranab (11 February 2012). "Why the Left Front Lost West Bengal: Poor Governance or Enhanced Accountability Standards?" (PDF). International Growth Centre. 1: 41.
  25. "Mamata ends 34-year-old Left Front rule in Bengal". The Hindu Business Line. PTI. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  26. "Mamata Banerjee wins assembly bypoll". Moneycontrol. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  27. "Rupee falls after TMC pulls out from government". Moneycontrol.com. 20 September 2012.
  28. "Mamata Banerjee's party ready to meet President tomorrow to officially quit UPA". NDTV. 20 September 2012.
  29. "Archive of General Election 2014". Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 18 March 2015.
  30. "Trinamool Congress recognised as national party". The Hindu. PTI. 2 September 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 6 December 2021. It is a recognised State party in West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh, satisfying one of the conditions of the Election Commission.
  31. "Trinamool Congress gets national party status". Indian Express. 2 September 2016.
  32. "West Bengal Election Results 2016: TMC storms back to power in Bengal, Cong-Left alliance loses". The Financial Express. 20 May 2016.
  33. Bose, Pratim Ranjan (23 May 2019). "Election results 2019: Bengal votes for the BJP, breaks many stereotypes". The Hindu BusinessLine. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  34. Chatterjee, Ahana (23 May 2019). "WB Election Result Highlights: BJP creates history in Bengal". Livemint. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  35. Sujit Nath (20 July 2019). "Why Did TMC, CPI, NCP Fail to Meet National Party Status When NPP Made It? An Explainer". News18.com. Kolkata: Network 18. Retrieved 11 May 2020. Due to several political developments over the past few years, the EC wants the three political parties to respond on why their 'national party' status should not be taken away.
  36. "Election Commission of India". results.eci.gov.in. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  37. Ellis-Petersen, Hannah; Rahman, Shaikh Azizur (26 March 2021). "'India's soul at stake': Bengalis vote in divisive election". The Guardian.
  38. "Assam Assembly Election Results in 2001". www.elections.in.
  39. "Sushmita Dev, former Congress MP, joins Trinamool as Mamata expands base". Hindustan Times. 16 August 2021.
  40. "Kirti Azad of Congress, Pavan Verma & Ashok Tanwar of JD(U) join TMC". The Times of India. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  41. "Congress leaders Kirti Azad and Ashok Tanwar and former JD(U) leader Pawan Verma join Trinamool Congress". Frontline. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  42. "Kirti Azad, Ashok Tanwar and Pawan Varma join Trinamool Congress in presence of Mamata Banerjee in Delhi". The Free Press Journal. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  43. "TMC appoints Mahua Moitra as party's Goa in-charge ahead of Assembly polls". The Indian Express. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  44. "Goa: NCP's Churchill Alemao Announces Merger With TMC". Outlook India. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  45. "Churchill Alemao, sole NCP MLA in Goa, joins Trinamool on Mamata Banerjee's visit to state". The Print. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  46. "Sukhendu Sekhar Roy appointed Trinamool's Haryana unit in-charge". ANI. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  47. "Kerala TMC: 'ভারত বাঁচাতে দিদিকে চাই,' বাম শাসিত কেরলে নতুন করে যাত্রা তৃণমূলের". Zee 24 Ghanta (in Bengali). 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  48. "'ভারত বাঁচাতে দিদিকে চাই', Mamata Banerjee-র ছবি দেওয়া হোর্ডিং এবার কেরলে". Sangbad Pratidin (in Bengali). 6 August 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  49. "'Call Didi, Save India': After Tamil Nadu, Mamata's Posters in Left Bastion Kerala". News18. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  50. ""Call Didi Save India, Delhi Chalo" posters featuring Mamata Banerjee's face in Kerala". Natun Gati. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  51. "Statistical Report on General Election, 2012 to the Legislative Assembly of Manipur". Election Commission of India. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  52. Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur. "Report – General Election to Lok Sabha, 2019" (PDF). ceomanipur.nic.in. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  53. "Mess in Manipur". The Indian Express. 1 June 2020.
  54. "Meghalaya: 12 of 17 Congress MLAs, Led By Ex CM Mukul Sangma, Jump Ship to TMC". The Wire. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  55. "'Not Effective Opposition': Meghalaya MLAs On Why They Left Congress". NDTV. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  56. "Ex-Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma Joins TMC With 12 MLAs; Trinamool Now Main Oppn in State". News18. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  57. "Meghalaya: In massive jolt to Congress, former CM Mukul Sangma, 11 other MLAs join TMC". India Today. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  58. "Mukul Sangma, 11 Congress MLAs join Trinamool". The Hindu. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  59. "Congress mulls legal action as 12 MLAs join TMC, make it main opposition in Meghalaya". The Times of India. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  60. "Charles Pyngrope appointed as Meghalaya TMC president". ANI. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  61. "In Meghalaya ruling alliance slugfest, BJP draws first blood; takes in two NPP MLAs". The Indian Express. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  62. Six Congress MLAs in Tripura join Trinamool
  63. "Recognise Ex-TMC MLAs as BJP Members in Tripura: BJP".
  64. "Not BJP or TMC, the real story of Tripura's civic poll numbers was near-decimation of Congress". The Print. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  65. "TMC keen to join farmers' protest, eyes 2024 polls". DTNext.in. 28 May 2021. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  66. "Uttar Pradesh 2012 – Uttar Pradesh – Election Commission of India". 14 August 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  67. "Trinamool Congress to expand base in Uttar Pradesh". The Times of India. 17 August 2012.
  68. "UP Election Assembly Results 2012 | Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Election Results 2012". Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  69. "MLA SS Sharma charged with forgery, fraud". The Times of India. 4 January 2016.
  70. "Lone TMC MLA in UP joins BSP". Business Standard. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  71. "UP's Purvanchal has a key role to play in Bengal polls". The Times of India. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  72. "Uttar Pradesh TMC to follow West Bengal model". The Times of India. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  73. "No Permission to Khela Hobe Diwas in Uttar Pradesh, Says TMC". News18. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  74. "TMC and Samajwadi Party expected to form alliance for 2022 assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh". The Free Press Journal. 12 September 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  75. "जब कोर्ट का डंडा चलता है,तब होती हैं कार्यवाही -नीरज राय". Patrika (in Hindi). 14 October 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  76. "Two UP Congress Leaders Join Trinamool In Mamata Banerjee's Presence". NDTV. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  77. "UP 2022 Assembly polls: Ex-Congress leaders join TMC". The Indian Express. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  78. "নভেম্বরেই যোগীর গড়ে হানা মমতার | ইন্দিরা-ঘনিষ্ঠ কমলাপতি ত্রিপাঠির নাতির তৃণমূলে যোগ". Bartaman (in Bengali). 26 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  79. "UP Congress Leaders Join TMC, Mamata Says Will Visit Varanasi Soon". News18. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  80. "Statistical report on general elections, 1998 to the Twelfth Lok Sabha" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  81. "Statistical report on general elections, 1999 to the Thirteenth Lok Sabha" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  82. "Statistical report on general elections, 2004 to the Fourteenth Lok Sabha" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  83. "LS 2009: Performance of National Parties" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  84. "LS 2014: List of successful candidates" (PDF). Election Commission of India. p. 93. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  85. "LS 2019: List of successful candidates". Election Commission of India. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  86. "West Bengal Assembly Election Results". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  87. "Assam 2001". Election Commission of India. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  88. Chatterjee, Jyotiprasad; Basu, Suprio (7 January 2020). Left Front and After: Understanding the Dynamics of Poriborton in West Bengal. SAGE Publishing India. p. 70. ISBN 978-93-5328-724-5.
  89. "The fall and rise of Trinamool Congress – Indian Express". The Indian Express Archives. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  90. Mamata Banerjee; Suvarna Bedekar; Ameya Prakashan. Maa Mati Manush. ISBN 978-93-5080-024-9. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  91. "Six popular contemporary slogans". DNA India. 28 July 2011. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  92. "'Ma Mati Manush' song at traffic intersections". Business Standard India. PTI. 20 May 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  93. "Explained: The history of 'Joy Bangla' | Explained News,The Indian Express". 29 January 2021.
  94. "Decoded: The History Of 'Joy Bangla', Mamata's Slogan That BJP Calls Secessionist".
  95. "West Bengal Assembly Elections | 'Khela hobe' to 'khela sesh' — it's season of slogans - The Hindu". The Hindu. 24 March 2021.
  96. "Let the game for 2021 begin, says Mamata - The Hindu". The Hindu. 21 February 2021.
  97. "What does the JOY BANGLA slogan remind you of - eSamskriti".
  98. Banerjee, Tamaghna (4 October 2021). "'Party hobe': CM Mamata Banerjee's supporters paint the town green". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  99. "Khela Hobe Divas: TMC celebrates 'Khela Hobe Divas'". The Times of India. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  100. "West Bengal | History, Culture, Map, Capital, & Population". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  101. "WB Minister Madan Mitra arrested in Saradha scam". Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  102. "Saradha scam: Sale of Mamata Banerjee's painting for Rs 1.8 crore under CBI lens". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  103. "Sale of Mamata Banerjee's Paintings Under Scrutiny as CBI Asks For Trinamool Income". NDTV. Archived from the original on 13 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  104. "The 1.8 crore question: Is Mamata Banerjee India's most underrated artist?". firstpost.com. Archived from the original on 13 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  105. "From Rs 2 Cr to 9 Cr in 48 Hrs: Mamata Paints Bank Balance Green". The Quint. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  106. Das, Madhuparna (19 December 2018). "CBI seizes Didi's 20 paintings from chit fund firm owners". The Economic Times. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  107. "Sudip Bandyopadhyay arrested: All you need to know about Rose Valley chit fund scam – Firstpost". firstpost.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  108. "Rose Valley chit fund scam: TMC leaders' nexus with the investment firm". India Today. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  109. Datta, Romita (23 April 2013). "Saradha Group chairman Sudipta Sen arrested in Kashmir". mint.
  110. "Shyamal Sen commission wound up; job unfinished". Hindustan Times. 22 October 2014.
  111. Kundu, Indrajit. "Politicians who took money from me, cheated people are now joining BJP, alleges jailed Saradha promoter". India Today. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  112. "Sudipta Sen Letter: 'একাধিক নেতা কোটি কোটি টাকা নেন...' সুদীপ্ত সেনের সেই চিঠি নিয়ে সিবিআইকে তদন্তের নির্দেশ আদালতের". এবিপি আনন্দ লাইভ (in Bengali). 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  113. "Sudip Bandyopadhyay arrested: All you need to know about Rose Valley chit fund scam – Firstpost". firstpost.com. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  114. "Rose Valley chit fund scam: TMC leaders' nexus with the investment firm". India Today. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  115. "All you wanted to know about Rose Valley scam". thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  116. "তৃণমূল সাংসদ কে ডি সিংহের নির্দেশেই স্টিং অপারেশন, বিস্ফোরক ম্যাথু". anandabazar.com. 20 March 2017. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  117. "Didi sees 'blackmail conspiracy' in Narada". The Times of India. 18 June 2016. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  118. "Kolkata police 'nab' CBI men, Mamata Banerjee at war with Centre – Times of India". Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  119. "CBI's Attempted Arrest of Kolkata Police Commissioner Was an Attack on Federalism". The Wire. 4 February 2019.
  120. "ED summons TMC's Abhishek Banerjee in jobs case, he says won't appear before rural polls". The Indian Express. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  121. Bureau, ABP News (8 June 2023). "TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's Wife Appears Before ED In Connection With Bengal Coal Scam Case". news.abplive.com. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  122. "West Bengal coal scam case: Enforcement Directorate grills TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee for seven hours". The Times of India. 2 September 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  123. "West Bengal coal scam case: Supreme Court allows ED to question Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata". The Hindu. 17 May 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  124. "Cattle Smuggling Case Accused Trinamool Leader Seeks Transfer To West Bengal". NDTV.com. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  125. "Cattle from Haryana, UP were smuggled: Trinamool alleges BJP involvement". India Today. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  126. "West Bengal cattle smuggling case: CBI freezes 54 accounts at cooperative bank". Hindustan Times. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  127. "West Bengal: CBI arrests TMC's Anubrata Mondal in cattle smuggling case". The Times of India. 11 August 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  128. "Explained: What is the West Bengal School Service Commission recruitment scam?". The Indian Express. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  129. "Kolkata: Besides CBI, ED to probe Bengal SSC Recruitment scam". The Economic Times. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  130. "ED arrests Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee, finds link to money seized at close aide Arpita's house". India Today. 23 July 2022.
  131. Ghosh, Sayantan. "How Bengal politics is dependent on syndicate raj, corruption and strongmen like Anubrata Mondal". www.newsdrum.in. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  132. "Flourishing 'syndicate raj' is an open secret in Bengal". Hindustan Times. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  133. Amit Kumar Chaudhary (29 August 2018). "India Today investigation exposes syndicate raj in Mamata Banerjee's Bengal". India Today. Retrieved 27 October 2019.

      Further reading

      This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.