Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a senior member of parliament for the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), resigned from all organizational party posts on May 27, 2024 [1].
The departure of a four-time elected MP [2] signals deepening internal turmoil for the TMC following a poor showing in the West Bengal assembly polls. Her resignation includes serious allegations regarding the party's internal culture and governance.
Ghosh Dastidar previously served as the district chief for Barasat in West Bengal. In her resignation, she said she took moral responsibility for the party's failure to perform during the assembly elections [3]. This admission reflects a broader struggle within the party to maintain its grip on regional power after the recent electoral setbacks.
Beyond election results, the MP raised alarms regarding the treatment of party members. She said there has been indecent behavior toward women workers within the organization [4]. These claims suggest a systemic issue with gender-based conduct that the party leadership has failed to address.
Corruption was another primary driver for her exit. Ghosh Dastidar said there was widespread corruption within the party ranks [4]. These accusations were coupled with a swipe at I-PAC, the political consultancy firm that manages much of the TMC's strategy and candidate selection [3].
The resignation is viewed as a significant blow to the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. By stepping down from all posts, Ghosh Dastidar has highlighted a rift between the party's grassroots organizational structure and its top-tier strategists. The move comes at a time when the party is attempting to reorganize its base in the Barasat district and across West Bengal.
“Senior lawmaker cites corruption, poor election performance, and indecent behavior toward women workers”
This resignation highlights a critical intersection of electoral failure and internal ethical decay within the TMC. By linking poor poll performance to corruption and the mistreatment of women, Ghosh Dastidar is framing the party's losses not as a tactical error, but as a moral failure. The specific mention of I-PAC suggests that the influence of external consultants may be alienating veteran party loyalists, potentially leading to further defections if the leadership does not address these systemic grievances.
