Saradha scam: Here's why Madan Mitra's arrest is a matter of deep concern for TMC and Mamata Banerjee

Madan Mitra, the transport and sports minister of West Bengal has been arrested by CBI on Friday. Mitra is not the first TMC member arrested by CBI in connection with the Saradha scam and going by the looks of it will probably not be the last person to be hauled up by the investigative agency. But there are several reasons why Madan Mitra's arrest is likely to be deeply unsettling for the TMC top brass. 

1. He is not an 'outsider'

All the other TMC leaders so far arrested in connection with the Saradha scam are novices in a political sense. Kunal Ghosh was a journalist, Srinjoy Bose is the owner of a successful news publication and involved with Mohun Bagan club, Rajat Majumdar was former top boss in the West Bengal police. Thus it was relatively easy for Mamata Banerjee to disown them . She also went on record to say, "Why are you trying to taint the whole party or the government for the reason of one or two outsiders? "But here's where Madan Mitra doesn't fit the pattern. Not only he is a minister but he has been a trusted lieutenant of the West Bengal CM for over two decades. Originally a follower of Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, Madan Mitra has been a Mamata loyalist for a very long time. In 1993 then firebrand opposition leader Mamata Banerjee led a rally to the Writers building which faced brutal police action resulting in the death of 13 young activists. There also, it was Madan Mitra who was entrusted with the work of getting people from the rural areas. 

2. Bad message to the trade unions affiliated to TMC

There are very few leaders in TMC who enjoy popularity on a personal capacity. Most are heavily dependent on the party supremo Mamata Banerjee for winning elections. Madan Mitra, on the other hand has a long history of working with different trade unions. By that association, he is popular among the foot-soldiers of the party. In TMC often his profile has been like that of an 'event manager', entrusted with the work of bringing masses to huge rallies. The way in which Mitra was summarily arrested by CBI can have an adverse effect on the morale of the workers as it gives the impression that party is a sitting duck facing the enquiry of CBI. Already in rural areas, workers are deserting TMC to join BJP. The trend though not yet alarming for the ruling party, is certainly a matter of concern for them. BJP is yet to make too many inroads into the trade unions largely controlled by TMC. Madan Mitra's arrest may just provide them with that window of opportunity. 

3. Fresh ammunition for BJP

The Amit Shah faux pas linking the Saradha scam with the Burdwan blast without concrete evidence had put BJP slightly on the backfoot in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee was able to drive home the narrative that Amit Shah is making allegations based on preconceived notions for his own agenda. The entire narrative will again need to be reworked with the arrest of Madan Mitra, as the Amit Shah issue will now fade from public memory. Didi is unlikely to calm down and will likely to go on a massive onslaught against BJP and Narendra Modi. Irrespective of the actual culpability of individuals and party in a given matter, public opinion is often based on the perception generated by chain of events. On that regard, Mamata Banerjee has her task cut out to prove to the public in general that none of her core party members is associated with the scam running into thousands of crores. 

4. Will it open the floodgates? 

But probably the most important concern for the TMC top leadership will be whether this arrest will open the floodgates of interrogation and arrests of other leaders whose names have cropped up in this Saradha case. Many opposition leaders in Bengal are demanding that even CM Mamata Banerjee should be interrogated although her personal integrity is probably well above board.

So the future course of the CBI investigation is likely to keep the TMC top leadership on tenterhooks for some time to come. The political war surrounding this probe is only likely to get more intense in times to come.