Trinamool Congress Leadership Meeting Postponed to November 23 to Avoid Conflict with World Cup Semi-Final Cricket Match

The important leadership meeting that was scheduled for November 16 will now take place on November 23, according to a statement released by the Trinamul Congress on Thursday. The reason for the change is because the World Cup semi-final cricket match at Eden Gardens is scheduled to take place on November 16.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Wednesday that after a meeting on November 16 at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, her party will decide whether to continue its campaign to seek the release of federal monies owed to Bengal.

But after the announcement, several in the ruling class and the government, according to insiders, reminded Mamata that a World Cup semifinal was set for November 16 at Eden Gardens, which is next to Netaji Indoor Stadium. It's possible that chaos would break out in and around downtown Calcutta on the day of the crucial cricket match, since thousands of Trinamul leaders are anticipated to attend the gathering at Netaji Indoor Stadium.

The Netaji Indoor Stadium can hold 12,000 people, whereas Eden Gardens can hold around 66,000 people.

On November 1, 2023, Smt. @MamataOfficial, the Hon. Chief Minister of West Bengal and the Hon. Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress, announced that a gathering will take place at Netaji Indoor Stadium on November 16, 2023. However, the meeting is being postponed due to the World Cup semi-finals taking place on the same day, according to a statement released by Trinamul on X.

According to a top Trinamul MP, the chief minister decided to postpone after realizing that the coincidence of the cricket match in the semi-final would create a logistical and administrative nightmare in the middle of Calcutta.

The announcement from Trinamul said, "The meeting will now be held on November 23, 2023 (Thursday), at Netaji Indoor Stadium."

"We shall tenaciously defend the rights of the Bengali people. It went on, citing its assertions that Bengal had central dues totaling more than Rs 1.15 lakh crore, including around Rs 15,000 crore for MGNREGS and the Awas Yojana. "We will not give up until the BJP-led Central Government releases the rightful dues of our workers," the statement said.

Mamata had issued a warning on Wednesday that the protest will escalate to its "most intense phase."

She brought up the matter with X on Thursday as well.

She stated, "I see a planned disinformation campaign about Central release of funds in MGNREGA."

The chief minister said, "The Center has been dragging its feet and has not released any withheld fund whatsoever at all, despite our vigorous movements and submission of detailed factual records and accounts."