Trinamool in turmoil: 115 councillor resignations trigger crisis

West Bengal is witnessing fresh political turbulence after at least 115 Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillors resigned across several municipalities, raising concerns over organisational stability at the grassroots level.

Against this backdrop, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee convened an important meeting at her Kalighat residence with councillors from municipalities under the Dum Dum Lok Sabha organisational district, urging party workers to remain united and resolute during what she described as a difficult political phase.

The meeting was attended by several senior leaders, including Dum Dum district TMC president and Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra.

During the discussion, Banerjee expressed strong displeasure over what she alleged were arbitrary arrests, intimidation and harassment of TMC councillors in different parts of the state.

According to party leaders present at the meeting, she claimed councillors were being implicated in cases linked to incidents dating back to 2021 despite having committed no wrongdoing. Referring to the recent mysterious death of a South Dum Dum councillor, she urged party members to stand together and protest democratically against what she termed political victimisation.

To strengthen the party’s legal response, Banerjee announced the formation of a five-member committee comprising Malay Ghatak, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Madan Mitra, Tapas Chatterjee and Sabyasachi Dutta. Councillors facing legal or administrative issues have been asked to coordinate with the committee as well as senior party lawyers, including Chandrima Bhattacharya and Kalyan Banerjee.

At the same time, the TMC chief sought to boost morale within the organisation. Addressing councillors directly, she said political workers must not abandon the party during challenging times. While making it clear that nobody would be forced to stay, she asserted that the Trinamool Congress would rebuild and emerge stronger with those who remained committed.

“You cannot stay with the party only in good times and leave during difficult times. Have faith in yourselves and faith in me. We will bounce back,” Banerjee reportedly told the gathering.

The meeting comes amid growing instability in several municipalities across North 24 Parganas and other districts. In recent weeks, councillors, chairpersons and vice-chairpersons from municipalities including Halisahar, Garulia, Kanchrapara, North Barrackpore, Naihati, Bhatpara, Diamond Harbour and Contai have resigned from their posts.

Political observers say the resignations have increased pressure on local civic administrations and could affect municipal governance if the situation continues. Some resigning councillors have alleged administrative pressure and lack of freedom in decision-making. A few have also reportedly spoken positively about the BJP following its electoral gains.

Despite the setbacks, TMC leaders maintain that the party remains organisationally strong at the grassroots level. Senior leaders believe the current crisis is temporary and point to the party’s past record of recovering from political challenges.

Banerjee also criticised reports of bulldozer-style eviction drives allegedly being carried out in some municipal areas without proper notice. Referring to incidents in Kolkata and Howrah, she instructed party representatives to stand by affected residents and raise their voices against any action perceived as unlawful or insensitive.

The Trinamool leadership is particularly concerned as municipalities have traditionally been one of the party’s strongest organisational pillars. With speculation growing over possible municipal elections in the coming months, the developments are being seen as politically significant.

However, within the TMC camp there is confidence that the party can stabilise the situation through organisational restructuring and direct engagement with workers at the grassroots. Party insiders believe Banerjee’s outreach is aimed at preventing panic within the ranks and reassuring leaders that the organisation will continue to stand by them during the current turmoil.

For now, West Bengal’s municipal politics remains in a state of uncertainty, even as the TMC leadership seeks to project unity and resilience ahead of the next political battle.