Rise of Anukul Mondal in TMC rural base

Anubrata Mondal, the Birbhum district leader of Trinamool Congress (TMC) has a charmed life. Only 24 hours back the son of a murdered TC leader in Birbhum's Khairasol accused Anubrata as the main conspirator in killing his father Ashok Ghosh. According to Biswajit Ghosh, the killing of his father was arranged by Anubrata and another district leader Ashok Banerjee.

"My father had told me about it 15 days back, saying that Anubrata and Ashok had arranged for some hired killers to eliminate him," said Biswajit. His father was killed by unknown assailants when he was shot at from close range at Khairasol, two days back. Yesterday, when senior party leader and state industry minister Partha Chatterjee went to Birbhum to express condolence to the deceased family and take part in the cremation, Anubrata accompanied him.

The duo was gheraoed and some two hundred TC supporters angrily demonstrated before them. As many of them directed their ire against Anubrata, he had to beat a hasty retreat. Earlier, Anubrata tried to put blame on the shoulders of CPI (M), saying that the murder was done by their hired goons. But, the opposing faction to whom the slain TMC leader belonged did not buy that. Yesterday they ransacked two party offices of TMC and put fire to that. Today, Biswajit Ghosh made a FIR at the Khairasol P.S. against the murder of his father.

Though he mentioned Ashok Banerjee's name in that, the name of Anubrata was missing.

Later Biswajit confirmed that and tried to explain away the come down by saying that he would complain against Anubrata to their leader and chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Meanwhile, the police have caught three local TC activists and two professional killers in relation to the murder.

But, Anubrata Mondal, the all-powerful TC leader of Birbhum was not touched. This is not the first time that he was let off so easily. During the recently concluded Panchayat poll, Anubrata was often seen violating election code of conduct by giving inflammatory speeches.

His often spoke of asking his party men to attack the opposing candidates' houses and put fire to that. Immediate after one such speech by Anubrata, the TC supporters attacked and put fire to a rebel candidate's house. The candidate's father was badly beaten up and later died of that.

The state election commission asked the administration to lodge a criminal case against Anubrata. But no such step was taken by the police. A senior police officer of Birbhum later admitted that they were cowed down by the statement given by the chief minister in the state assembly, where she gave a clean chit to Anubrata.

Even, Mukul Roy, who is in charge of the party organisation, indicated at that time that the party might take disciplinary measure against Anubrata after seeing the outcome of election result in Birbhum district. In Birbhum, like in rest of the state, the ruling party won in huge margin, and the question of disciplining him did not arise.

Birbhum is not an exception. In other districts also people like Anubrata are coming to the fore and becoming the face of ruling party in the rural belt.In Birbhum, Anubrata has such dominance that in Bolpur subdivision alone, the opposition Left and Congress could not put up their candidates in most of the seats. In South 24 Parganas, people like Arabul Islam are becoming leader. He earned his notoriety first by attacking a lady teacher of a college of which he was the governing body president.