International athlete from West Bengal Swapna Barman joins Trinamool ahead of Assembly polls

International athlete Swapna Barman joins Trinamool Congress ahead of West Bengal Assembly elections, inspired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Internationally acclaimed heptathlete Swapna Barman joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday (February 27, 2026), ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

“Inspired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s journey and her rise from the grassroots, I decided to join the party,” Ms. Barman said after her induction ceremony at the party’s Kolkata headquarters in the presence of senior leaders Bratya Basu and Chandrima Bhattacharya.

“We welcome her into our party. I am reminded of the films Chak De! India and Dangal today,” said Mr. Basu, who is also the State’s Education Minister.

Ms. Barman, who hails from north Bengal’s Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri district, shot to fame after winning the gold medal at the Asian Games in 2018. However, an injury forced her into retirement, and she currently works in the Indian Railways department.

With the high-stakes State Assembly elections approaching, several leaders are switching parties and recalibrating their political alignments.

Last week, Kurseong MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) youth leader Pratik Ur Rahaman also joined the TMC.