Kolkata, 1 August (H.S.) -A high-level virtual meeting of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), earlier scheduled for August 8, has now been preponed to August 5, sparking widespread speculation within the party over the sudden change. The meeting, convened by party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, is expected to be attended by over 4,000 party leaders from across West Bengal.

Though the party has not issued an official explanation for the rescheduling, senior leaders in private conversations have pointed to multiple possible reasons.

One key factor appears to be Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s scheduled visit to Jhargram on August 8. Party insiders suggest that many local leaders and public representatives from Jhargram and nearby districts would be preoccupied during the CM’s visit, making their participation in the virtual meeting difficult. Holding the meeting on the same day, they argue, could have created confusion or sent mixed signals within the party ranks.

Another probable reason involves the Election Commission’s anticipated announcement regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bengal. The meeting is likely to focus on the party’s internal preparations and organizational strategies concerning the upcoming revision exercise. Sources indicate that advancing the meeting allows the party to brief leaders ahead of the official rollout.

Additionally, the rescheduling helps avoid a clash with major events lined up for August 9, which marks Raksha Bandhan and the anniversary of the Quit India Movement. The TMC has already announced various programmes across districts to observe the day, and the leadership reportedly wants to ensure that preparations for those events remain uninterrupted.

Compounding the timeline is the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament and the state government’s new initiative, Aamar Para, Aamar Samadhan (Our Neighborhood, Our Solution), set to begin formally on August 2. The initiative requires full organizational engagement, and Abhishek Banerjee is expected to use the virtual platform to direct the party machinery accordingly.

The virtual meeting will include all district presidents, MPs, MLAs, mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons of municipal bodies, Zilla Parishad members, Panchayat Samiti presidents, as well as office bearers from affiliated frontal organizations. Members of the TMC’s state committee and all councillors of Kolkata Municipal Corporation have also been instructed to attend. In the case of Birbhum and North Kolkata, all core committee members have been specifically invited to participate.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh