Anubrata Mandal

Mandal was born in Birbhum during the 1960s. He is one of the founders of the Trinamool Congress in Birbhum. Although he is a controversial figure in West Bengal, he is respected by people in his native district.

It was claimed by Trinamool leaders that he has hypoxia for which he has to carry oxygen with him. Mandal has supported other Trinamool leaders in political campaigns for the 2014 Lok Sabha general elections.

Mandal became embroiled in political controversy at the time the Trinamool Congress came to power. During the panchayat elections of July 2013, he publicly encouraged Trinamool supporters to hurl bombs at the police and burn down the houses of independent candidates. Less than a week after Mandal made that speech, independent candidate Sagar Ghosh was shot and killed at his home in the village of Parui; the victim's family claimed that Mandal was involved.

Opposition parties charged that Mandal's speeches strongly provoked Trinamool supporters, resulting in the murder of Ghosh. The chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, supported Mandal, calling him "an efficient organizer" and vowing to "defend him to the end". The judicial panel investigating Ghosh's death suspended all proceedings in the case until mid-May, after local elections.

Dipankar Datta, a justice of the High Court, asked for an explanation from police chief G.M.P. Reddy as to why Mandal has not been arrested. Datta said the SIT (Special Investigation Team) is afraid to proceed against Mandal because of Mandal's support from the chief minister.

While speaking at a party event in Katwa, Burdwan in November 2013, Mandal is reported to have said: "If anyone threatens Trinamool supporters, then our workers will also attack their houses at night." Mandal also reportedly threatened to chop off the hands of Indian National Congress candidates, although a party official denies he ever said that.

He has been cited on two different occasions for showing a disrespectful altitude towards opposition parties.