‘Change Is Coming’: Mamata Banerjee Targets BJP Over Central Rule

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee told party MLAs that the new BJP government in West Bengal was targeting minorities and hawkers, and claimed the party would soon be “removed from power in Delhi,” while Abhishek Banerjee said a demolition notice against a part of his Kolkata home would not silence opposition to the BJP.

The closed-door meeting took place at Mamata Banerjee’s residence, where Trinamool Congress legislators gathered to discuss the political situation after the recent change of government in the state. Former chief minister Mamata Banerjee chaired the session, while Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, also the party’s national general secretary, joined the discussions and later responded to questions on the civic notice.

Mamata Banerjee BJP clash over claims of attacks on minorities and hawkers

Mamata Banerjee alleged that the “bulldozer” actions seen in other BJP-ruled regions had now reached West Bengal, with specific focus on roadside vendors and vulnerable groups. Referring to recent drives against alleged illegal encroachments and reports of post-poll violence, Mamata Banerjee said, “Minority communities are being targeted. Hawkers stalls are being bulldozed,” and argued that these steps hurt daily wage earners across several neighbourhoods.

Continuing the criticism of the Suvendu Adhikari-led administration, Mamata Banerjee accused the government of undermining constitutional principles and democratic safeguards. “This government is tampering with our constitutional ideas and values,” Mamata Banerjee told the MLAs. Mamata Banerjee also attacked the BJP’s national leadership, asserting, “BJP will be removed from power in Delhi in coming days,” and claimed the ruling National Democratic Alliance was losing public support.

Mamata Banerjee BJP face-off deepens as Abhishek Banerjee rejects demolition notice pressure

Attention at the meeting also turned to the notice served on Abhishek Banerjee by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, which directed demolition of “unauthorized parts” of his south Kolkata residence. The TMC leader said the action would not deter political opposition, declaring, “Let them do whatever they want... raze down my home, send notice; I won't bow down over these things. Come what may, fight will continue against BJP.”

The role of Kolkata Municipal Corporation added another layer to the political row, as the civic body itself remained under Trinamool Congress control. Party MLA Firhad Hakim, a long-time associate of Mamata Banerjee, continued as mayor of Kolkata. Despite this, Abhishek Banerjee treated the demolition order as part of a broader pattern of pressure, linking it to confrontations with the BJP over state and national issues.

Mamata Banerjee BJP tensions rise with Narada sting jibe and protest plans

Abhishek Banerjee also targeted Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari personally, drawing attention to the Narada sting operation recorded in 2014, when Suvendu Adhikari was still with the Trinamool Congress. “Our state had many chief ministers but none like the current one. The one who was seen taking money on camera has been made CM,” the TMC parliamentary leader said, reviving an old controversy during the internal party meet.

Alongside these remarks, the party prepared for a public agitation campaign framed around alleged forced evictions and demolition drives. Trinamool Congress planned to start protests on May 21 against removal of hawker stalls and what the party described as “bulldozer culture unleashed by BJP.” Demonstrations were scheduled at three prominent transport hubs in and around Kolkata to draw attention to the issue.

The planned protest sites announced by the party are listed below.

By the end of the meeting, Trinamool Congress leaders had combined organisational planning with sharp criticism of both the state and central BJP leadership. Mamata Banerjee focused on alleged targeting of minorities and hawkers, while Abhishek Banerjee framed the demolition notice as intimidation. The party placed its upcoming Kolkata-area protests at the centre of its strategy against the BJP government.