Kolkata, April 19 (IANS) The Trinamool Congress on Sunday denied reports that the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) had halted its West Bengal operations for 20 days and asked its employees in the Kolkata office to go on leave for the period.

In a statement circulated among media persons by Trinamool Congress, and not the I-PAC, the party claimed that the information circulated was completely “baseless” and appeared to be a deliberate attempt to create confusion on the ground.

“IPAC WB team remains fully engaged with AITC, and campaign operations are continuing as planned across the state. These narratives are a deliberate attempt to distract from the clear mood on the ground. The people of Bengal are fully capable of seeing through these attempts and will respond democratically. West Bengal will not be swayed by misinformation or intimidation. They will respond decisively on the 23rd and 29th, and the results on May 4 will reflect their verdict,” read the Trinamool Congress statement.

However, no official statement has been issued by I-PAC on the matter yet.

Earlier information surfaced that I-PAC, which has been operating as the vote strategy agency for Trinamool Congress since 2020, had sent an email to all its employees in the Kolkata office to go on leave for 20 days.

“In view of certain legal issues, management has decided to pause operations in West Bengal with immediate effect. We fully respect the law of the land, are cooperating with the process, and are certain that justice will take its due course,” the email communique read.

Thereafter, the I-PAC management has asked all employees and team members to avail a short leave for 20 days.

“At the end of this period, by 11th May, we will regroup, review the situation, and decide the next steps. You may reach out to us in case of any queries. We appreciate your cooperation, patience, and understanding,” the email read.

–IANS

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