The inimitable Mamata Banerjee’s turbulent political life is at a pivotal juncture. Although opinion surveys indicate a comfortable lead over the BJP in the upcoming assembly polls, the outcome may be influenced by ‘X’ factors, such as her bizarre confrontation with the Enforcement Directorate last month and her contumacious encounter with the Election Commission of India earlier this week.

Political theatre and a controversial intervention

Banerjee’s volatility lends itself to political theatre, and several of her bravura exploits are the stuff of legend. But in her dramatic interruption of the ED’s raid on the consulting firm IPAC — founded by political strategist Prashant Kishore — Mamata Banerjee seems to have overplayed her hand. Getting news of the ED’s raid on the premises of IPAC director Pratik Jain, she first drove to his house and then to the company’s office, where she remained for several hours, removing documents and digital devices. For a Chief Minister to proactively interfere with a central regulatory agency, even on the grounds that she feared confidential data might be compromised, is odd, to say the least.

Supreme Court flags serious concerns

The Supreme Court has termed the episode “very serious” and expressed the fear that it might “lead to a situation of lawlessness”, with a cascading effect on other states. Besides, it might set a negative precedent. The crux of the matter seems to be whether the ED was acting lawfully in pursuing a genuine lead in a money-laundering investigation or was targeting privileged........

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