Speculation in West Bengal’s political circles has intensified surrounding Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and former IPS officer, Rajeev Kumar. The development comes after Kumar was seen engaging in a private discussion with NCPI MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, merely fifteen days after attending Mamata Banerjee’s high-profile July 21 Shahid Diwas rally.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of a high-level review meeting convened in the national capital by Union Minister for Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil. The session was called to review the implementation of central water infrastructure schemes across West Bengal. Besides Kumar, the gathering included Lok Sabha MP Pratima Mondal, West Bengal Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Ajay Poddar, and several parliamentarians from the BJP and NCPI.

Meeting Triggers Political Rumors

The speculation gained momentum after Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar shared a photograph on social media depicting her seated alongside Rajeev Kumar during the session. Although Dastidar clarified in her post that the discussion strictly revolved around accelerating piped drinking water projects to households across the state, political observers are closely watching the interaction. This interaction has raised eyebrows given the current political climate, where several former key lieutenants of Mamata Banerjee—including former Rajya Sabha MPs Prakash Chik Baraik, Sukhendu Sekhar, and Sushmita Dev have defected to other parties like the BJP.

Background and Context

Rajeev Kumar, a former Director General of Police in West Bengal, has long shared a notable political history with the TMC leadership.

2019 CBI Controversy: In February 2019, former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee famously staged a dharna in Kolkata after the Central Bureau of Investigation attempted to question Kumar at his residence in connection with a major financial investigation.

Transition to Parliament: Following his tenure as the state police chief, Kumar was subsequently nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the TMC.

Recent Political Presence: While Kumar had largely maintained a low profile during recent organizational shifts within the party, his explicit presence at the July 21 rally signaled continued alignment with the TMC leadership.

Financial Approvals and Directives

During the ministerial review, Union Minister C.R. Patil announced that the central government would expedite the release of approximately ₹2,600 crore in pending central dues to West Bengal for infrastructure projects. Additionally, the Union Minister instructed the state PWD Minister to ensure that regional MPs are actively involved in the execution and monitoring of federal development works.

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