Suvendu Adhikari sent coal scam’s money to Amit Shah, alleges Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday levelled serious allegations against senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of misusing coal scam proceeds and manipulating electoral outcomes with the backing of institutions.

Addressing a massive protest rally in south Kolkata, Banerjee said, "You know who is sitting in the Election Commission. He was the Cooperation Department Secretary of Amit Shah. I have no issues with that....I challenge them that they came to power in Haryana and Bihar forcefully. In one more state, they come to power forcefully. Now they are trying to do this in Bengal...Ask me who used the coal scam's money. Suvendu Adhikari used it and sent it to Amit Shah."

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The Trinamool Congress supremo accused the BJP-led Centre of attempting to replicate what she described as “forceful” electoral victories in other states by misusing central agencies and constitutional bodies ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

Earlier, Banerjee had alleged that “Senior BJP leaders in Delhi receive coal scam proceeds; I can furnish proof before public if needed,” while accusing the Centre of shielding BJP leaders and targeting opposition parties through investigative agencies.

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The Chief Minister was leading a large protest march from the 8B Bus Stand area to Hazra More against recent Enforcement Directorate searches linked to political consultancy firm I-PAC. The rally, marked by heavy sloganeering against the BJP, was projected by the TMC as a show of street strength and resistance to what it called political vendetta.

Banerjee also linked the ED action to an alleged attempt to undermine her party’s organisational machinery. “What I did yesterday was nothing wrong; they tried to steal my party’s data,” she had said earlier.

The protest followed Banerjee’s dramatic appearance a day earlier at I-PAC chief Pratik Jain’s residence during an ED raid, escalating tensions between the Centre and the West Bengal government.

Clad in her trademark white sari, Banerjee led the march flanked by ministers, MPs, MLAs and party workers, as cultural symbols, including the singing of ‘Ami Banglay Gaan Gai’ and blowing of conch shells.

TMC leaders said the rally marked the beginning of a series of statewide agitations, signalling that Banerjee intends to take her political battle against the BJP from courtrooms to the streets as the state heads towards the high-stakes 2026 elections.