Bengal: Ex-deputy speaker Ashis Banerjee found dead at TMC office

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and veteran Trinamool Congress leader Ashis Banerjee was found hanging at a TMC party office near his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum, on Sunday morning, sending shockwaves through the state’s political circles. Police said a purported suicide note was also recovered from the office.

The body was recovered from the party office in Hattala Para, close to Banerjee’s residence, and sent for post-mortem examination. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death and examining the contents of the purported note, whose authenticity has not been independently verified.

The one-page note circulating on social media reportedly says that no one was responsible for his death. It also contains Banerjee’s alleged expressions of regret over entering politics and claims that he had never been involved in corruption or taken money in exchange for work.

The note reportedly refers to the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA), with Banerjee denying any role in tender decisions, cheque issuance, plan approvals or no-objection certificates. It also alleges that attempts had been made to malign and humiliate him. Police are examining these claims as part of their investigation.

Banerjee, who entered politics during his student days and had also worked as a teacher, represented Rampurhat continuously from 2001 to 2026. During his long political career, he served as deputy speaker of the assembly and held ministerial portfolios including school education and agriculture in the Mamata Banerjee government.

His political journey came to an abrupt turn in the 2026 Assembly elections, when he lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruva Saha by more than 24,000 votes. Party sources said Banerjee had remained relatively inactive in politics after the defeat. He had also stepped down as chairman of the TMC’s Birbhum district core committee in June, according to reports.

A familiar figure in Birbhum’s political landscape, Banerjee was a prominent TMC leader during the years when party strongman Anubrata Mondal dominated the district organisation. His career had spanned a period of sweeping political change in West Bengal, from TMC’s rise to power to its defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections.

The purported note also reportedly urged his family members not to enter politics, while recalling the affection he had received from his students.

For now, the circumstances surrounding Banerjee’s death remain unclear. Police are probing whether he died by suicide and what may have preceded it, while the post-mortem examination and further scrutiny of the purported note are expected to provide crucial clues.

The death comes at a particularly turbulent moment for Bengal politics, months after the BJP ended the TMC’s 15-year rule in the state. The change in political fortunes has been accompanied by investigations into several former TMC leaders, adding another sombre chapter to the party’s post-election upheaval.

With PTI inputs