Amidst the official announcement of the 2026 assembly election schedule, West Bengal is grappling with a severe shortage and abnormal price hike of cooking gas (LPG), disrupting daily life across the state. In response, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party leader Abhishek Banerjee are leading a massive protest rally today, Monday, starting from College Square to Dorina Crossing in Kolkata.

The global energy crisis, triggered by the Iran-Israel conflict, has severely impacted LPG and CNG supplies in India. From domestic kitchens to hospitals, school mid-day meal centers, and small restaurants, the shortage has created a state of panic. The situation has been exacerbated by the Centre’s new booking norms, which mandate a 25-day gap for urban areas and 45 days for rural areas, leading to long queues at distributors and petrol pumps.

Political analysts suggest that Mamata Banerjee is strategically transforming the gas crisis into a pivotal campaign issue. By positioning herself as the voice of common households struggling with the ‘kitchen war,’ the TMC leadership is attempting to corner the central government right at the onset of the election season, signaling that the supply chain uncertainty will remain a central theme of their campaign.