Campaign activities continue on ground while engagement with I-PAC leadership reportedly declines after recent developments

Amid ongoing assembly election campaigns, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) are recalibrating their poll strategies as political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee comes under scrutiny.

According to media reports, campaign activities at the ground level remain largely unaffected in both states. Party workers continue voter outreach, rallies, and booth-level coordination without any visible slowdown.

However, there has been a noticeable reduction in engagement with I-PAC’s senior leadership following recent developments, including investigative actions involving the firm.

Sources indicate that while the broader campaign machinery remains intact, both TMC and DMK are making internal adjustments to ensure continuity and minimise dependence on external strategists. This includes greater reliance on party cadres and local leadership for campaign execution.

The developments come at a crucial time, with elections underway and political parties aiming to maintain momentum. Despite the situation surrounding I-PAC, both parties appear focused on sustaining their outreach efforts and adapting strategies as needed.

TMC alleges PM’s unscheduled halt in Jhargram disrupted opposition campaign, says Bengal “will remember”

The Trinamool Congress on Monday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his brief halt to eat jhalmuri during a campaign visit in Jhargram, claiming the move disrupted opposition leaders’ schedules.

The party alleged that the Prime Minister’s extended stay in the area led to Hemant Soren being unable to complete his planned campaign programme in the state. According to the TMC, the Jharkhand Chief Minister and his wife were eventually forced to return to Ranchi without addressing scheduled events.

The controversy stems from an unscheduled stop made by the Prime Minister during a busy day of campaigning ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026. Modi was seen interacting with a street vendor and having jhalmuri, a popular local snack, during his visit.

TMC claimed that due to the Prime Minister’s presence and the extension of his schedule, necessary clearances were not granted for Soren’s helicopter to land in the region. The party said the leaders were kept waiting for hours before being compelled to return, calling the situation a reflection of disregard for elected representatives.

In its criticism, the party said the incident would not be forgotten by voters, remarking that “Bengal will remember,” as campaigning intensifies ahead of polling.

The episode has added to the political tensions in the state, where campaigning has intensified with multiple parties targeting each other over governance and electoral conduct. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister had shared visuals of his stop, describing it as a brief pause between multiple rallies during a packed campaign schedule.

The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear a petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, challenging a previous trial court order. This order had refused to take cognisance of the agency’s chargesheet against senior leaders of the Congress party, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald.

The matter is listed for hearing before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma. Earlier, on December 22, the High Court had issued notices to the Gandhis and several others following the ED’s application to stay the trial court’s decision from December 16, 2025.

Legal arguments and trial court findings

The trial court had originally held that it could not take cognisance of the money laundering complaint because it was not based on a First Information Report (FIR). Media reports indicate that the trial court deemed the prosecution “not maintainable” as the investigation stemmed from a private complaint rather than a police-registered FIR.

The ED has countered this, arguing that the trial court’s ruling effectively provides a “hall pass” to money launderers simply because the alleged offence was reported by a private individual to a magistrate. The agency maintains that a complaint from an authorised officer under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) should be valid regardless of whether it originated from a private complaint or an FIR.

Allegations in the case

The probe involves allegations of conspiracy and money laundering related to the acquisition of properties worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the publisher of the National Herald newspaper. It is alleged that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi held a 76 per cent majority stake in Young Indian, a company that purportedly usurped AJL’s assets in exchange for a Rs 90 crore loan.

Apart from the Gandhis, the High Court had previously issued notices to other individuals and entities including Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Young Indian, Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, and Sunil Bhandari.