Crisis deepens in TMC: MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar resigns from all party posts after councillors’ mass exodus
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Crisis deepens in TMC: MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar resigns from all party posts after councillors’ mass exodus")
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar Photograph: (ANI (File Photo)
The MP’s resignation comes against the backdrop of a broader wave of resignations from municipal bodies across West Bengal, reflecting growing unease within the Trinamool Congress after its performance in the 2026 Assembly
In a significant political development, Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Wednesday (May 27) stepped down from all her organisational responsibilities after expressing dissatisfaction with the party leadership. The Barasat MP resigned from her role as chairperson of the party’s women’s wing and several other internal posts.
The move came shortly after she was removed from the post of chief whip of the TMC parliamentary party, a position that was handed over to senior MP Kalyan Banerjee. The leadership change is seen as a key trigger behind her resignation from party posts.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kakoli Ghosh, along with six other MLAs, attended an administrative review meeting in Kalyani, chaired by West Bengal’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s administration. The MLAs who attended the meeting included Anisur Rahaman Biswas of Deganga, Bina Mondal of Swarupnagar, Mohammad Abdul Matin of Haroa, along with three other legislators from the Basirhat region.
The resignation of the MP comes amid a wider wave of exits from municipal bodies across West Bengal, signalling rising unease within the Trinamool Congress following its 2026 Assembly election performance.
More than 100 councillors have resigned from various municipalities, exposing internal strain in the party’s urban organisational network. The sharpest blow was witnessed in Bhatpara Municipality, where 30 out of 35 councillors, including chairperson Reba Raha, stepped down on Friday.
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Publicly, many councillors cited personal or organisational reasons for their resignations. However, several internal voices within the party acknowledged growing concern over possible police action and corruption-related investigations.
On May 20, police arrested Ranjan Poddar, councillor of Ward 34 in the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, on charges of collecting illegal payments from transport operators in the Salt Lake and Karunamoyee areas. Earlier, councillor Samrat Barua was also taken into custody in a separate extortion case, while in Cooch Behar, councillor Ujjal Tar was arrested over allegations linked to intimidation during the election campaign.
The situation in Diamond Harbour has drawn particular political attention, given its association with TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The recent BJP win in the Falta Assembly repoll added further pressure, with Debangshu Panda securing over 71 per cent of the vote share, while the TMC nominee finished fourth and lost his deposit.
