Kunal Ghosh, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA from Beleghata, was suspended for one day [1] from the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
The incident highlights growing friction within the state's political landscape, as a sitting legislator from the ruling party was forcibly removed for defying parliamentary order.
Ghosh was removed from the Kolkata-based assembly after he interrupted a budget discussion regarding Home and Hill Affairs [1]. According to reports, Ghosh defied the Speaker’s orders to maintain decorum, which prompted the Speaker to order his physical removal and immediate suspension [1].
During the proceedings, Minister Tapas Roy proposed to the Speaker that Ghosh be suspended for the remainder of the session [3]. The disruption occurred amid a volatile atmosphere where Ghosh described dissident TMC MLAs as "government-controlled puppets" [2].
Opposition leaders reacted to the chaos within the chamber. Suvendu Adhikari, who serves in an opposition post, criticized the behavior of the MLA. "This type of behaviour is not acceptable," Adhikari said. "We are also in an opposition post, but there is some responsibility" [3].
The suspension lasted for one day [1]. While some reports mentioned Ghosh walking out of a separate orientation program for legislators on a Friday, the assembly records confirm the suspension occurred specifically during the budget debate on July 22, 2026 [1], [2].
“Kunal Ghosh called dissident TMC MLAs 'government-controlled puppets'.”
The suspension of a ruling party member by his own government's Speaker indicates a breakdown in internal party discipline and a willingness by the assembly leadership to prioritize procedural order over party loyalty. The use of the term 'government-controlled puppets' suggests an internal rift between the party's official wing and dissident elements.
