Even as the political atmosphere intensifies ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Elections, fresh controversy has emerged between the Centre and West Bengalโs ruling party, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) failing to secure an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu for the third consecutive time.
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According to sources, the TMC had first sought an appointment with the President on March 9 but was informed on March 11 that a meeting was not possible due to her prior commitments. A second request, proposing dates between March 16 and March 20, was also declined on March 22, citing similar reasons.
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Undeterred, the party sent a third request on March 23, seeking an appointment between March 24 and April 2. However, Rashtrapati Bhavan once again conveyed that the President would be unable to meet the delegation due to a lack of availability.
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The repeated refusals have sparked speculation in political circles, particularly in the backdrop of recent tensions following the Presidentโs visit to North Bengal earlier this month.
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On March 7, President Murmu visited Siliguri to attend an international tribal conference, where she reportedly raised concerns over the absence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or any state cabinet representative at the airport to receive her. She also made remarks regarding the pace of tribal development in the state.
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Responding to these observations, Mamata issued a rebuttal, after which the TMC decided to send a delegation to personally brief the President on the state governmentโs initiatives for tribal welfare. However, with no meeting granted so far, the issue appears to be deepening into a larger political standoff.
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During her Siliguri visit, President Murmu had also expressed dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the state administration. In her address, she remarked that despite considering herself a โdaughter of Bengal,โ visits to the state often proved challenging.
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She further noted discrepancies regarding the event venueโs capacity, stating that while she had been informed of limitations, the infrastructure appeared capable of accommodating a significantly larger gathering. Addressing the Chief Minister as her โyounger sister,โ the President questioned the perceived lack of warmth, while clarifying that she harboured no personal grievances.
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With tensions simmering and repeated attempts at dialogue proving unsuccessful, political observers believe the issue could escalate further in the run-up to the state elections.