New Delhi: Senior Trinamool Congress leader and Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has publicly defended her decision to part ways with the party after nearly four decades of association with Mamata Banerjee, alleging governance failures and growing internal discontent within the organisation.
Emerging as one of the most prominent faces of the rebellion within the party, Dastidar claimed that a group of dissident Members of Parliament is exploring the possibility of aligning with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Her remarks come amid a period of turbulence for the Trinamool Congress following its defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Dastidar said her association with Banerjee dates back to the early years of the political movement, long before the party came to power in West Bengal. While acknowledging Banerjee’s role as a mentor and leader, she maintained that recent developments within the government and the party had compelled her to take a different political path.
The three time parliamentarian alleged that multiple sectors, including education, healthcare and law and order, had witnessed a decline in recent years. She also claimed that administrative functioning had been affected by the influence of a small group of leaders, creating obstacles to effective governance and contributing to public dissatisfaction.
Her resignation from all organisational positions sparked speculation about broader unrest within the party. Dastidar revealed that dissident MPs had written to Om Birla seeking separate seating arrangements in Parliament, while expressing willingness to work with both the Centre and the new state administration for the development of West Bengal.
Responding to criticism from party leaders, Dastidar struck a defiant note, declaring that she would not bow to pressure despite attacks from political opponents. She also rejected allegations that intimidation had influenced the decisions of rebel lawmakers, insisting that the move was taken collectively and voluntarily.
Dastidar further claimed that no effort had been made by the party leadership to contact her following her resignation. She alleged that she had been sidelined and ignored despite her long years of service.
Her comments add to the growing uncertainty within the Trinamool Congress as resignations, defections and internal divisions continue to challenge the party’s unity in the aftermath of its electoral setback.
