Security reshuffle sparks political firestorm in West Bengal

TMC MP Saugata Roy labeled the decision to replace security personnel who have served Banerjee for nearly two decades as a hostile act. The controversy deepened as MLA Kunal Ghosh noted that a leader of Banerjee’s tenure—having served as a seven-time MP and three-time Chief Minister—should have been consulted before any security adjustments were implemented. Kalyan Banerjee echoed these concerns, describing the reassignment as an autocratic display of vindictiveness, noting that the Chief Minister rejected the proposed replacements provided by the state.

Conversely, BJP leader Falguni Patra dismissed the outcry, asserting that the security modifications are legally standard given that Banerjee currently holds no legislative seat. Beyond the immediate security dispute, the incident highlights widening fissures within the Trinamool Congress. Internal tensions have reached a critical point, with reports indicating that 58 MLAs have formed a breakaway faction in the West Bengal assembly. Furthermore, a significant bloc of TMC MPs, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, has moved to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India, formally requesting separate seating arrangements from Speaker Om Birla in the Lok Sabha.