President Murmu declines TMC meet request for third time, cites “lack of time”

President Droupadi Murmu has declined a request from the Trinamool Congress to meet its delegation for the third consecutive time, with officials citing “lack of time” as the reason. The repeated refusals from Raisina Hill have triggered fresh political speculation, especially in the backdrop of recent tensions following the President’s visit to North Bengal.

The developments stem from events during the President’s visit to Siliguri earlier this month, where she attended an international tribal conference. During the visit, she reportedly raised questions over the absence of the state leadership at the airport to receive her and also flagged concerns regarding the development of tribal communities in West Bengal. The remarks drew a sharp response from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who subsequently directed party leaders to seek an audience with the President.

The TMC first sought a meeting on March 9, but was informed two days later that the President would be unable to meet them due to a tight schedule. A second request, proposing dates between March 16 and 20, was also declined on similar grounds. Undeterred, the party made a third attempt, seeking a meeting between March 24 and April 2, but received yet another rejection citing time constraints.

The repeated refusals have intensified the political narrative around Centre-state relations, with the TMC keen to present its position on tribal welfare initiatives directly to the President. While no official reason beyond scheduling issues has been provided, the episode has added to the ongoing friction between the state government and constitutional authorities following the North Bengal visit.