‘Politics was a mistake’: What Ashish Banerjee’s purported note says

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and veteran Trinamool Congress leader Ashish Banerjee was found dead at a party office in Hattalapara, Rampurhat, Birbhum, on Sunday, sending a wave of shock through the locality.

Banerjee, who represented Rampurhat for five consecutive terms, held several ministerial portfolios after the Trinamool Congress came to power, including school education, agriculture and AYUSH. He later served as deputy speaker of the state Assembly before losing the 2026 election to BJP candidate Dhruva Saha.

As news of his death spread, a large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office. Police from Rampurhat police station rushed to the spot, cordoned off the area and recovered the body before sending it for post-mortem examination.

Purported note found at scene

A purported suicide note, said to have been written by Banerjee, was also recovered from the scene. Its authenticity has not been independently verified.

In the note, Banerjee reportedly looked back on a political journey that began during his student years, asserting that he had never been involved in corruption or accepted money in exchange for any work.

Recalling his time as general secretary of the student union at Burdwan University, he reportedly said that although political disagreements had occurred, they had never turned into personal hostility. He also appeared to express anguish over being unable to speak out against what he described as wrongdoing within the party.

The note reportedly referred to the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA), with Banerjee maintaining that his role was limited to its general meetings. He said he had no involvement in tender decisions, cheque issuance, plan approvals or no-objection certificates.

Banerjee also reportedly wrote that attempts had been made to malign and humiliate him, prompting him to reflect that entering politics may have been a mistake. He advised people of his generation to remain in their professions rather than enter politics.

‘I have been a teacher all my life’

The purported note also carried a deeply personal reflection on Banerjee’s life as a teacher. He reportedly said he had rarely missed classes, conducted special classes and taught honours students without charge.

“I have received a lot of love from my students,” he reportedly wrote, recalling the bond he shared with generations of learners.

In the closing passages, Banerjee addressed several members of his family, urging them to remain calm, stand by one another and settle their differences themselves. He expressed his affection for his relatives and appealed to them to live together in harmony.

The note reportedly ended with the statement that no one was responsible for his death.

Police are examining the circumstances surrounding Banerjee’s death and the contents of the purported note. The post-mortem examination and further investigation are expected to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the incident.