Will induct all I-PAC staffers in TMC, none will lose job: Mamata
Times of India | 20 April 2026
Kolkata: CM Mamata Banerjee on Sunday pledged to induct I-PAC personnel into Trinamool and ensure no one loses their job as she lashed out against BJP for trying to "scare" members of the political consultancy firm engaged by her party.
"If you scare our agency people and tell them to leave Bengal, they will be inducted into my party and given a job. I will not let anyone be jobless," Banerjee said at a campaign rally, accusing the BJP of using the ED to target Trinamool's campaign machinery ahead of polls.
Reports surfaced on Sunday that I-PAC's Bengal team was asked by its HR department to take 20 days' leave, with a review scheduled for May 11 — after the election results on May 4. Trinamool denied these, calling the claims "completely baseless" and saying I-PAC's Bengal team "remains fully engaged" with campaign operations continuing as planned.
I-PAC has been Trinamool's political strategy partner since 2019, with its contract extended in 2021 through the 2026 elections. But the organisation has faced mounting ED pressure this year in connection with the alleged coal scam. I-PAC director and co-founder Vinesh Chandel was arrested on April 13 in a money laundering case linked to the scam. Earlier, ED searches at I-PAC's Kolkata office and the residence of its head Pratik Jain on Jan 8 took a dramatic turn when Banerjee herself appeared at the scene, alleging the searches were politically motivated to steal party data and candidate lists.
A case filed by ED against Banerjee for allegedly removing documents during the searches is scheduled to be heard on April 22 — a day before the first phase of polling.