Kolkata, May 28, 2026: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee suffered another major blow on Thursday, May 28, 2026, when former Rajya Sabha MP and TMC national spokesperson Dr. Santanu Sen resigned from his post. Just a day earlier, on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, TMC Lok Sabha MP and president of the party’s women’s wing, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, had also resigned from all her party positions. These resignations have laid bare the internal dissent and dissatisfaction brewing within the TMC.
In his resignation letter addressed to party chief Mamata Banerjee, Dr. Santanu Sen wrote that while he had disagreed with the party’s stance during several challenging times, he had still publicly defended TMC’s positions in the media. He stated, “Though I have not agreed with many of the party’s stands during difficult times, I have still fought publicly in the media on several contentious issues on behalf of the party, for which the common people have often appreciated me.” However, he added that in the current circumstances, when the people of West Bengal are disillusioned with the TMC due to issues like the RG Kar case, the Abhaya case, cash-for-jobs corruption, and other unethical activities, he no longer feels inclined to support the party as its spokesperson. He wrote, “Therefore, keeping in mind the people’s verdict, I wish to resign from the post of All India Spokesperson of TMC. Please accept and honour my resignation.”
Meanwhile, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar cited serious allegations and incidents related to West Bengal and the party as the reasons behind her resignation. She stated that over the past decade, numerous grave allegations and incidents involving the TMC and the state had deeply disturbed her. Expressing strong dissatisfaction with the party’s internal functioning, she wrote on social media platform X, “During my tenure, I could neither prevent inappropriate behaviour towards women MPs by another educated woman MP nor receive adequate support and sympathy from the top leadership. In such a situation, there is no longer any meaning in remaining in the post.”
Within this internal TMC controversy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar also accused TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee of misconduct towards women. In a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, she alleged that Kalyan Banerjee’s behaviour had been anti-women and that he deserved punishment for it. Kalyan Banerjee, however, dismissed the allegations as fake and asked why no complaint had been made to the Speaker if such behaviour had occurred. He said, “If there was any misconduct, why wasn’t it reported to the Speaker at the time?”
Amidst the controversy, TMC MP Sougata Roy raised questions about Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar’s intentions, while BJP leader Tapas Roy appealed for caution in dealing with Kalyan Banerjee. Following the West Bengal Assembly election results, Mamata Banerjee had reshuffled the party’s parliamentary structure, removing Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar from the position of Chief Whip, which was then handed to Kalyan Banerjee. It was this change that had left Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar aggrieved, leading her to first resign from all party posts and now write to the Lok Sabha Speaker accusing Kalyan Banerjee.
Whether the internal strife and resignations within the TMC will strengthen or weaken the party remains to be seen. For now, Mamata Banerjee faces a challenging phase as even a strong party like the TMC grapples with internal discord and dissent.
