The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and CPI(M), bitter political rivals in West Bengal for decades, have opened a line of communication amid Opposition concerns over reported differences within the Election Commission (EC) on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Although both parties are founding members of the INDIA bloc, they had not maintained regular communication with each other. Sources said TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby spoke by phone on Friday and discussed the need for Opposition parties to coordinate over concerns related to the EC, the electoral process and democracy.
Banerjee also spoke with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and urged him to call an INDIA bloc meeting at the earliest, possibly on Monday or Tuesday, sources said.
The conversation followed Baby’s letter to Banerjee and other INDIA bloc and non-BJP leaders on September 23, seeking a joint meeting to discuss developments involving the poll panel. Banerjee responded the following day, agreeing that the situation was “truly extraordinary”.
In his letter, Baby referred to an Indian Express investigation published on September 23 that reported differences among Election Commissioners over SIR-related decisions. He urged Opposition parties to meet and formulate a coordinated response.
Baby also reached out to several parties outside the INDIA bloc, including the BRS, AAP, DMK, TVK, BJD and the Cockroach Janta Party, according to sources.
Opposition steps up coordination
Opposition leaders have been in contact since the Indian Express report detailed objections recorded by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. According to the investigation, the two commissioners objected at least 14 times over 10 months to SIR-related decisions, citing concerns about the process and decisions allegedly taken without their knowledge.
The EC acknowledged the written objections on September 23, describing them as part of its decision-making process. It did not, however, publicly address the specific concerns raised by the two commissioners or explain how they were resolved.
Opposition parties have demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a Supreme Court-supervised inquiry into the functioning of the EC and a halt to the SIR exercise. They also decided to submit a fresh notice in Parliament seeking Kumar’s removal.
The TMC-CPI(M) outreach comes as both parties continue to operate from sharply different political positions in West Bengal. For the TMC, the latest developments come amid organisational and political challenges, including a recent Election Commission decision concerning its party name and election symbol.
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