The Trinamul Congress on Thursday announced its decision to reschedule to November 23 the key meeting of the leadership that was to take place on November 16 as the ongoing cricket World Cup’s semi-final at Eden Gardens is supposed to be held on that day.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Wednesday that the decision to resume her party’s movement to demand the release of central funds due to Bengal would be announced after a meeting on November 16 at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.

However, sources said since the announcement, many in the ruling dispensation and the administration pointed out to Mamata that a World Cup semi-final was scheduled at the Eden Gardens adjacent to the Netaji Indoor Stadium on November 16. Since thousands of Trinamul leaders are expected to attend the Netaji Indoor Stadium meeting on the day of the vital day of the cricket match things could get chaotic in and around central Calcutta.

The Eden Gardens has a capacity of around 66,000, while the Netaji Indoor Stadium has a capacity of 12,000.

“The Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal & Hon’ble Chairperson of All India Trinamool Congress, Smt @MamataOfficial, announced on 1st November 2023 that a meeting will be held on 16th November 2023 at Netaji Indoor Stadium. However, owing to the World Cup semi-finals that fall on the same day, the meeting is being rescheduled,” read a statement issued by Trinamul on X.

A senior Trinamul MP said it was soon realised that the semi-final cricket match coincidence would cause a logistical and administrative nightmare in the heart of Calcutta, and hence the decision to reschedule came from the chief minister.

“The meeting will now be held on 23rd November 2023 (Thursday) at Netaji Indoor Stadium,” wrote Trinamul in its statement.

"With a firm resolve, we will fight for the rights of the people of Bengal. We will not give up until the BJP-led Central Government releases the rightful dues of our workers,” it added, referring to its claims that Bengal has central dues amounting to over Rs 1.15 lakh crore, including around Rs 15,000 crore for MGNREGS and the Awas Yojana.

Mamata on Wednesday had warned of escalation of the protest to its “most intense phase”.

On Thursday also, she took to X on the issue.

“I detect a deliberate disinformation campaign regarding Central release of funds in MGNREGA,” she wrote.

“Despite our vigorous movements and submission of detailed factual records and accounts, the Centre has been dragging its feet and has not released any withheld fund whatsoever at all,” the chief minister added.