Suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Riju Dutta has alleged that political consultancy firm IPAC demanded ₹50 lakh from him in exchange for a party ticket to contest the West Bengal Assembly elections, and that his subsequent suspension came after he publicly thanked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for helping protect his family from threats. Dutta made the allegations in Kolkata on 11 May.

The Ticket Demand Allegation

Dutta claimed his candidacy had been confirmed before he was asked to pay ₹50 lakh, which he says he refused. "For the last 6 months, IPAC has been running the party. My ticket was confirmed, I was told. Then I was asked for Rs. 50 lakhs, which I did not have. At night, my wife and mother gave me their jewellery. But in the morning, Ma Kali saved it, and I returned it to her. I said, no, we don't want to sell all this and take the ticket," Dutta claimed.

He was careful to distinguish between the party leadership and those who allegedly made the demand. "IPAC demanded the money, not the TMC. Someone named Arjun called me and demanded the money," he alleged, adding that the individuals involved were reportedly linked to IPAC rather than the TMC directly.

Threats to Family and Why He Thanked BJP

Dutta alleged that following the election results, his mother and wife received serious threats. "That day, my mother got several phone calls, threatening her that her son would be beheaded and she would be burnt alive, and my wife, who has no connection to politics, gets rape threats," he alleged.

He said he subsequently reached out to senior BJP leaders, who he claims responded and helped address the threat situation. "Then I called several top BJP leaders, and they picked up my calls and told me about the threats. After that, I only thanked the BJP for saving my family, and just for this, I was removed from the party," he claimed.

Dutta also linked the alleged perpetrators of the threats to former CPI(M) members who had switched political affiliations over the years. "The CPI(M) goons who had become Trinamool in 2011 became BJP in 2026. These were the people who were rioting, not the old BJP people," he said, referencing events around 4 May when he says a change of power occurred in Bengal.

Thirteen Years of Loyalty, a Suspension in Return

Dutta, who claims to have worked for the TMC for over 13 years, said he spent 27 days in Nandigram — then represented by Suvendu Adhikari — as part of his party work. Despite this, the TMC suspended him for six years following his public acknowledgement of BJP's assistance.

Rather than treating the suspension as a setback, Dutta framed it defiantly. "It's not a punishment, it's a big reward. I will frame that suspension letter at home. I will keep it in my bedroom, so that every morning I can see my honesty, my loyalty, my love that I gave to that party," he said.

TMC Yet to Respond

The Trinamool Congress has not officially responded to any of Dutta's allegations — regarding the alleged ticket-money demand, IPAC's role in party affairs, or the circumstances surrounding his suspension. IPAC has also not issued any statement in response. The allegations, if substantiated, could deepen scrutiny of how the party manages its candidate selection process ahead of future electoral cycles.