Mamata's Delhi Visit: A Political Gambit in the Shadow of SIR Protest

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is poised to visit New Delhi next week amid the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) protest against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This development has prompted the postponement of the state's interim budget presentation to February 5, as announced by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

The Legislative Assembly's 294-member interim budget session was initially set to commence on January 31 but has now been rescheduled to February 3. The vote-on-account budget will be tabled on February 5, according to Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee.

The rescheduling aligns with Banerjee's expected trip to the national capital during the Parliament session. Party insiders suggest this visit aims to push the West Bengal-specific political issue over SIR to a national stage and engage with leaders of other opposition parties. The TMC has accused the Election Commission and BJP of excluding genuine voters in revising the electoral rolls.