Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to travel to Delhi on Wednesday, January 28. According to Trinamool Congress (TMC) sources, the Chief Minister will attend a government programme in Singur on Wednesday and then proceed directly to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, from where she will fly to Delhi.
The visit is being viewed as politically significant, especially in the backdrop of the escalating dispute over the SIR in the state. Party sources have not ruled out the possibility of Mamata visiting the Election Commission’s office during her stay in the national capital.
Earlier, TMC’s All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee had led a party delegation to Delhi and met National Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Following that meeting, the party sharpened its criticism of the SIR process, alleging that many legitimate voters could be removed from the electoral rolls under the pretext of revision. Mamata has been vocal on the issue from the outset and has warned of protests in Delhi if even a single genuine voter’s name is deleted.
Against this backdrop, her sudden Delhi visit has generated considerable curiosity in political circles. Sources claim that the Chief Minister may take representatives of families whose members have allegedly been declared “dead” during the SIR process to Delhi. This move is being seen as an attempt to highlight the situation in West Bengal at the national level and draw wider political attention to the issue.
Sources also indicated that a scheduled state cabinet meeting may be postponed due to the Chief Minister’s unplanned visit to the capital.
Initially, Mamata’s Delhi trip was expected to take place in the first week of February. However, that period coincides with the ongoing Parliament session, during which Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget on February 1. The central government has also convened an all-party meeting ahead of the budget. On Tuesday, it became clear that the Chief Minister would advance her visit to the end of January instead.
According to TMC sources, Mamata may use the visit to intensify her political attack on the role of the Chief Election Commissioner. She has repeatedly alleged that ordinary citizens are being harassed in the name of voter list revision and has strongly opposed the ongoing “hearing” process, which she says is creating unnecessary difficulties for many voters.
Overall, Mamata’s Delhi visit, at a time when the state is in an election-like atmosphere and the SIR controversy is at its peak, is being seen as carrying not just administrative importance but also a strong and wider political message.
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