TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar quits Barasat district chief post, cites poll rout; takes swipe at I-PAC

Kolkata: The post-election turbulence inside the TMC showed no signs of easing on Sunday after senior MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar resigned as its Barasat organisational district president, taking "moral responsibility" for the party's drubbing in her area in the West Bengal assembly polls, but coupled it with a sharp critique of the campaign strategy and leadership priorities.

The resignation by the four-time Barasat MP, considered part of TMC's old guard, comes days after she was removed as the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha and replaced by senior MP Kalyan Banerjee following the party's electoral debacle.

While her resignation letter to state TMC president Subrata Bakshi formally cited accountability for the poor electoral performance in Barasat and adjoining areas of North 24 Parganas, its political messaging appeared to stretch far beyond local organisational responsibility.

In what was seen as a veiled but pointed attack on election strategist I-PAC and the increasing influence of a newer political ecosystem around the party leadership, Kakoli appealed to TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee to return to the party's earlier style of functioning - street politics.

"Leader Mamata Banerjee, if you work with honest, old and dedicated workers as in earlier days, the party's image will brighten again. Difficult tasks cannot be achieved through fly-by-night organisations," she wrote.

Political circles interpreted the "fly-by-night organisation" remark as a direct attack on I-PAC, the election consultancy outfit seen as closely associated with TMC's campaign architecture under party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

The letter has triggered fresh discussion within political circles over whether the assembly poll rout has opened up deeper faultlines within the TMC between the old organisational structure and the newer, strategy-driven political model.

Ghosh Dastidar also raised concern over allegations of corruption and criminalisation -- issues opposition parties repeatedly weaponised during the campaign.

"Recent incidents of crime and corruption in West Bengal have naturally created concern and apprehension among people. To strengthen democracy further, greater importance should be given to transparency, accountability, responsibility, decorum and values in politics," she wrote.

The comments assumed significance as they echoed concerns often raised by the opposition and appeared to signal internal unease over the party's image after the electoral setback.

Later, speaking to reporters, the TMC MP sharpened her attack.

"I did not appoint I-PAC. But I saw how these young boys and girls behaved with full-time party workers like us. I have been a public representative here for 17 years. My office remained open round the clock for people," she said.

Ghosh Dastidar said she had worked extensively across the seven assembly segments under her Lok Sabha constituency and expected public support to remain intact.

"But the results made it clear that people did not accept us. There has been criminalisation at every level in the party. I cannot accept the TMC's tally dropping to 80. I will continue as an ordinary worker," she said.

In another remark likely to fuel political speculation, Kakoli said she could not communicate her concerns to the leadership because Mamata Banerjee had remained too occupied over the last decade, and it had become difficult to reach her by phone.

Amid mounting speculation over her future course, Ghosh Dastidar struck a softer note before the press conference by reposting Mamata Banerjee's live message on X and writing: "Take charge, leader." A doctor-turned-politician, Ghosh Dastidar has long been identified with Mamata Banerjee's political journey and had actively participated in many of the party's early street movements.

Apart from being a four-term MP from Barasat, she had headed the organisational district and the party's women's wing.

Her removal as chief whip had already hinted at growing discomfort. Soon after being replaced, she posted on social media that after four decades of loyalty to the party, she had finally received her "reward".

Political observers said Kakoli's resignation and the tenor of her remarks suggested that TMC's post-defeat introspection may increasingly spill over into the public domain, potentially complicating efforts by the leadership to regain organisational cohesion after one of the party's worst electoral setbacks.

The TMC had not officially reacted to her resignation till late Sunday.