Chandrima Bhattacharya quits TMC, cites loyalty questions amid party split in West Bengal

Chandrima Bhattacharya, a former minister of state for finance in West Bengal and once a close aide of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, resigned from all posts in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday. Her departure adds to the ongoing factionalism within the party, which has seen a significant number of its legislators and MPs break away from Banerjee's leadership.

Bhattacharya lost her seat in the recent state assembly elections from Dum Dum Uttar and is not an MLA, so her resignation does not directly affect the party's strength in the legislature. However, she recently served as the state party president of the TMC faction led by Mamata Banerjee, and her exit is seen as a blow to the morale of that camp.

The TMC has been embroiled in a split, with 60 of its 80 MLAs electing Howrah Madhya MLA Arup Roy as the party chairperson, displacing Mamata Banerjee. Rebel lawmakers have also taken control of the party headquarters in Kolkata. Additionally, 20 of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs, led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, have merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

According to party sources, on Friday evening, Bhattacharya was at Trinamool Bhawan when rebel MLAs entered the building. She left shortly after, and sources said that Mamata Banerjee was displeased with her lack of resistance. Bhattacharya resigned the next day, saying that her loyalty had been questioned.

“When one’s loyalty is questioned, there is no way you can stay. There is no point in staying. There is no question of returning,” Bhattacharya told reporters. “I was told that I allowed them (rebels) to capture the party office. After hearing all that I cannot stay. I consider myself as a failure. I have no allegations against anyone.”

She also commented on her role as finance minister, stating, “I read the Budget (in the Assembly), but never made it. It was given to me minutes before the session.”

Bhattacharya’s son, Sourav Basu, a councillor in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, had earlier attended a meeting where rebels replaced Mamata Banerjee with Arup Roy as party chairperson. Bhattacharya noted that her son is old enough to make his own decisions and that she had stopped discussing politics with him.

Reactions to Bhattacharya’s resignation were divided. Kunal Ghosh, a TMC MLA loyal to Mamata Banerjee, criticized her timing, saying that she had held top positions without complaint until now. In contrast, Sandipan Saha, a rebel MLA, welcomed her decision, stating she was treated poorly and is now with the opposition.

A senior TMC leader from the Mamata camp said that while her resignation does not affect numbers, it is an emotional setback for Mamata Banerjee and raises questions about her acceptance within the party. The rebel faction is contesting with the Election Commission for the party symbol and bank accounts, and they are likely to use Bhattacharya's stature to their advantage.

Bhattacharya, 70, began her political career as a Congress leader before joining the TMC. Her departure follows that of several others, underscoring the deepening rift in the party.