“No one worked better than Balu”: Mamata defends Jyotipriya Mallick, calls arrest politically motivated

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday strongly defended party leader Jyotipriya Mallick at a public rally in Habra, asserting that no one in her cabinet had performed as effectively as him and alleging that his arrest in the ration corruption case was politically motivated. Addressing voters ahead of the Assembly elections, she urged people not to be influenced by what she described as propaganda and misinformation against him.

Speaking at Banipur B.R. Ambedkar Ground, Mamata Banerjee said that Mallick, popularly known as “Balu,” had been deliberately targeted despite his administrative contributions. She claimed that no concrete evidence had been found against him and alleged that his arrest stemmed from exposing irregularities in the ration distribution system, including fake beneficiaries. She further highlighted his role in implementing digital ration cards and strengthening monitoring mechanisms to curb leakages.

The Chief Minister also reiterated her longstanding support for Mallick, stating that he had been unfairly implicated in the ration scam case. Mallick, who served as Food Minister for a decade and later held the Forest portfolio, was arrested in 2023 and removed from the cabinet in 2024. However, he was released on bail in early 2025 and has now been renominated by the party from the Habra constituency, signaling continued political backing amid ongoing electoral campaigning.