The Trinamool Congress on Sunday rejected reports that political consultancy firm I-PAC had stopped its work in West Bengal, calling the claim “completely baseless” and an attempt to disrupt its campaign.

The reaction came hours after a report said the Indian Political Action Committee had asked its employees in the state to stop work and go on a 20-day leave, citing “legal obligations”.

The report referred to an email allegedly sent late Saturday night, saying operations would remain suspended till May 11. I-PAC has not issued any statement.

In a statement on Sunday, the TMC said there was no halt in work. “We have come across a media report claiming that I-PAC has halted its operations in West Bengal for the next 20 days. This claim is completely baseless and appears to be a deliberate attempt to create confusion on the ground,” the party said.

It added that the team “remains fully engaged” and that campaign work is going on as planned.

“These narratives are a deliberate attempt to distract from the clear mood on the ground. The people of West Bengal are fully capable of seeing through these attempts and will respond democratically,” the statement said.

With polling due on April 23 and 29, the issue quickly took a political turn. The TMC said the state would not be “swayed by misinformation or intimidation”.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee spoke on the issue at a rally in Tarakeswar. Without naming I-PAC, she said pressure was being put on those working with her party and promised support if jobs were affected.

“They raid us through the ED every day. Suddenly, during elections, they remembered all this? They are telling those who work for our party to leave West Bengal. They have fifty organisations. We have only one,” Mamata said.

She added, “If they are threatened, they will join us. We will give them jobs. I will not allow even one boy to lose his job. I spoke to Abhishek this morning before coming here.”

The CM also alleged a “deep conspiracy” to interfere with the party’s campaign. “We will not accept this conspiracy. How much more will you torture us? How many more votes will you try to snatch? After this, you will bring NRC,” she said.

The issue comes at a time when central agencies have taken action linked to I-PAC. The Enforcement Directorate had earlier searched the firm’s Kolkata office and the Loudon Street residence of its founder, Prateek Jain, in a coal smuggling case.

Mamata had visited Jain’s residence during the searches and later said agencies were trying to access confidential campaign documents. The matter is now before the Supreme Court.

More recently, I-PAC co-founder and director Vinesh Chandel was arrested in New Delhi and is in ED custody. The arrest drew a response from TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who called it “not democracy, but intimidation”.