The CM, in a recent internal meeting, is said to have made this mandatory for all her ministers, the sources claimed.
“In a recent meeting our chief minister said that anyone in the Cabinet who wants to attend a private programme needs to get approval from her office. This is because two of our cabinet ministers gave remarks that were unbecoming of a minister in the Bengal government,” said a senior Cabinet minister.
As the party prepares for the 2026 Assembly elections, the CM does not want the party leaders to be embroiled in any more “controversies or scams”, which is why the party is putting a lot of emphasis on “discipline, decorum” and image of party leaders, according to sources.
Last month, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had formed three disciplinary committees at different levels in order to monitor party leaders.
The state government will launch a toll-free number, 18008899451, for beneficiaries of the ‘Banglar Bari’ scheme to report complaints and grievances. This move is part of the government’s “zero tolerance” policy towards corruption, aiming at ensuring transparency and accountability in the scheme.
Sources also said that the move comes in the wake of several ministers or heavyweight leaders of the TMC having been arrested for being allegedly linked to scams, over the past two years.
In July 2022, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested the then West Bengal Industries and Commerce Minister and senior Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment to the West Bengal School Service Commission. Chattterjee was the Minister of State for Education when the alleged irregularities occurred.
The TMC’s then Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondol, who is considered a close aide of the CM, was arrested by central agencies in connection with an alleged multi-crore cattle smuggling scam in 2022.
In 2023, the ED arrested TMC leader Jyotipriya Mallick for alleged irregularities in an alleged ration scam. Mallick was West Bengal’s food and supplies minister between 2011 and 2021.
The ED arrested Manik Bhattacharya on October 11, 2022, after night-long questioning. Bhattacharya, a former chairman of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education, was arrested for allegedly not cooperating with the investigation. He is an MLA from the Palashipara seat in Nadia district.
Although some have been granted bail in the cases, sources said there are apprehensions that the scams have “tarnished the image” of the party.