Kolkata, Jan 8 (NationPress) The political landscape in West Bengal experienced a significant jolt as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the Trinamool Congress’ consulting firm, the I-PAC office, along with Pratik Jain's residence in Kolkata. During a public meeting in Malda district on Thursday, the party's General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee opted not to comment on the unfolding situation.

On Thursday morning, ED officials targeted the Sector-5 office of the I-PAC, a consulting entity for both the state government and the Trinamool Congress, as well as Pratik Jain's residence located on Loudon Street in Kolkata.

The Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, was the first to arrive at Jain's home, subsequently visiting the I-PAC office.

She accused the central investigating agency of seizing the Trinamool Congress' electoral strategies, claiming they confiscated laptops, mobile devices, and data, all with the assistance of a forensic team.

Notably, I-PAC collaborates closely with state administrative officials and Abhishek Banerjee and his office.

As a result, there was keen anticipation regarding Banerjee's remarks on the raids at the I-PAC office or Jain's residence, but he chose to remain silent.

Sources suggest that Banerjee's reluctance to comment stems from the fact that Thursday's raids are connected to a coal smuggling investigation in which a Trinamool Congress MP had previously been questioned by the ED multiple times.

A source from the Trinamool Congress stated, "The matter is sub-judice; thus, it is entirely up to Abhishek Banerjee to decide whether or not to comment on it."

However, while campaigning in Malda, Banerjee directed his criticism towards both the BJP and the Congress.

He specifically mentioned Congress MP Isha Khan Chowdhury from the Maldaha Dakshin constituency, questioning what actions he has taken for migrant workers facing harassment in BJP-ruled states.

Banerjee also targeted suspended Trinamool leader and MLA Humayun Kabir from Murshidabad without naming him directly.

At the rally in Malda, the Trinamool Congress General Secretary listened attentively to the grievances of migrant workers, reiterating his claims that in BJP-ruled states, Bengali-speaking migrant workers are subjected to persecution, derogatorily labeled as "Bangladeshis."

He also alleged that similar discrimination occurs in Congress-ruled states like Telangana and Karnataka, which is why he confronted Isha Khan Chowdhury.

He stated, "Telangana and Karnataka have Congress governments! Even there, migrant workers from our state are being persecuted. How many letters has Congress MP Isha Khan Chowdhury from Maldaha Dakshin written regarding this? What steps has she taken?"

In contrasting the Trinamool Congress with other parties, Banerjee criticized the Congress indirectly, saying, "Other parties are defeated by the BJP. But the BJP is defeated by the Trinamool."

He referenced the recent Bihar Assembly elections, noting, "When people unite, the BJP falters. When they are divided, the BJP prevails, as demonstrated in Bihar."

Interestingly, Mausum Noor, a member of the late Union Minister A.B.A. Ghani Khan Choudhury's family from Malda, recently switched from the Trinamool Congress to the Congress and resigned as the Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP.

While visiting Malda, Banerjee avoided mentioning Noor's name, yet he criticized the Congress, the party to which Noor has returned.

Without directly naming Humayun Kabir, Banerjee reminded attendees of his previous ties to the BJP.

He remarked, "Several parties have made deals with the BJP. You will uncover everything. In 2019, someone was a BJP candidate. Now he is constructing a Babri Masjid. He is deceiving the public and amassing money."

Humayun Kabir had run unsuccessfully as a BJP candidate in the 2019 Murshidabad Lok Sabha elections.