Chandrima Bhattacharya resigns as TMC's West Bengal state president a month after appointment

PTI, July 4, 2026, Kolkata : In yet another setback for the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the party's West Bengal state president, Chandrima Bhattacharya, stepped down from her position on Saturday, barely a month after she was entrusted with the crucial organisational responsibility in the aftermath of the party's Assembly election debacle.

In a letter addressed to the TMC chairperson, Bhattacharya also relinquished responsibilities from all other posts she held in the party, triggering speculations on whether she had severed her ties with the Mamata Banerjee-led wing of the party for all practical purposes.

The former state minister was named state president at the party's national working committee meeting held at Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence on June 3, replacing senior leader Subrata Bakshi.

She also withdrew herself as the authorised signatory of the accounts of the TMC and its associate organisations maintained in various banks, and as Mamata Banerjee's authorised point person to handle the party's affairs before the Election Commission.

A former minister in the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government, in charge of key departments like Finance and Health as Minister of State, and a prominent leader of the party who led its women's wing, Bhattacharya had remained one of the closest aides of the TMC supremo and her long-term associate.

"At the end, I would like to state that I have the highest regards for you and will remain ever respectful to you," she stated in her resignation letter.

Talking to reporters, Bhattacharya later clarified that her decision was triggered by Mamata's over-the-phone admonishment, blaming her for "allowing the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction of the party to take control of the party's Trinamool Bhavan operational headquarters" in Kolkata.

Bhattacharya was present at her office when the Ritabrata-led rebel faction had walked into the Trinamool Bhavan on Friday, but had left the building shortly after. The rebel faction leaders held a meeting at the premises before changing the locks of the main gate and declaring they would henceforth operate from the premises.

"I was deeply hurt when she (Mamata Banerjee) called me to say that I have handed over the party office to them (the rebels), although I do not know how I did that. It is evident that my loyalty and trustworthiness were shaken from their roots. This had never happened in the past. Once those fundamental binding forces are gone, there is no reason for me to stay in the party or return to it," Bhattacharya told reporters.

Asked whether she would join the rebel camp, Bhattacharya said: "There's more to life than this. I am yet to decide the course I will chart."

Bhattacharya, however, refused to comment on the deepening factional fights within the party and which side she supported on the grounds that "the matters are sub judice either before the Election Commission or before the court".

Minutes later, Bhattacharya was seen sitting in a meeting with the rebel camp leaders at the chamber of Ritabrata Banerjee, the Leader of Opposition, in the state Legislative Assembly.

Bhattacharya was welcomed at the Assembly gate by the Deputy Leader of Opposition and a prominent member of the rebel camp, Sandipan Sah.