Mamata Banerjee Seeks Updates on Tripura’s Former Leaders from IAS Observer Tapas Roy at Bhabanipur Nomination

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, April 8, 2026

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee created a brief yet notable moment during the filing of her nomination papers at the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, as she casually inquired about political figures from Tripura while interacting with the constituency observer.

In the West Bengal Assembly elections, the responsibility of Centre Election Observer for the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency has been assigned to Tapas Roy, a nominated IAS officer from Tripura. During the nomination process today, Mamata Banerjee took the opportunity to seek updates from him regarding former political leaders of Tripura.

The observer, Tapas Roy, found himself in an engaging exchange with the Chief Minister. Noticing his Tripura connection, Mamata Banerjee asked, “Is Samir Ranjan Barman alive? Sudhirda ( Sudhi Rranjan Majumdar) has passed away, right?”, seeking updates on leaders from the state.

Her remarks appeared to refer to Samir Ranjan Barman and Sudhir Ranjan Majumder, indicating her continued awareness and interest in Tripura’s political landscape.

Sources present during the nomination process described the interaction as almost interview-like, as Mamata Banerjee went on to ask further questions, including a light-hearted but pointed query: 'So, as an observer, everything is alright, isn’t it?'

The presence of a Tripura government official as an observer in Bhabanipur added a unique dimension to the moment, prompting the Chief Minister’s curiosity and a more personal engagement during the formal process.

The exchange, though brief, highlighted Mamata Banerjee’s sharp political memory and her familiarity with leaders beyond West Bengal, particularly from Tripura and the broader Northeast.

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