TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar resigns from Rajya Sabha (Img: Internet)
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray on Monday resigned from the Rajya Sabha and announced his exit from the party, ending his long association with Mamata Banerjee-led TMC.
The development comes at a time when the Trinamool Congress is facing growing internal dissent and political uncertainty after losing power in West Bengal to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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In his resignation letter, Ray said the people of West Bengal had delivered a “historic verdict” in favour of the BJP to end what he described as the “15-year anarchical rule” of the TMC government.
He alleged that the previous TMC administration was marked by “widespread unbridled corruption, atrocities against women, and failures in health, education, industry, law and order and employment.”
Ray further stated that the newly elected BJP government had already begun taking initiatives for the “overall development and reconstruction” of West Bengal.
Announcing his resignation, Ray said he was stepping down from both the Rajya Sabha and the primary membership of the Trinamool Congress in “respectful acceptance” of the public mandate.
His exit is being viewed as a major political setback for Mamata Banerjee, especially because he had remained one of the senior-most and trusted faces of the party for years.
The resignation comes amid an intensifying crisis within the Trinamool Congress. The party has been struggling with rebellion after 58 MLAs led by rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee broke ranks and were recognised as the principal opposition bloc in the West Bengal Assembly.
While the rebel MLAs continue to acknowledge Mamata Banerjee’s leadership, they have openly opposed the growing influence of her nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee.
Political tensions within the party became more visible recently when only a handful of MLAs attended a meeting called by Mamata Banerjee at her residence.
Earlier, TMC leader Ajmal Siddiqui had also resigned from the party, accusing Abhishek Banerjee of having a “dictatorial attitude.” He alleged that several party leaders were involved in “unsavoury activities,” further intensifying the political turmoil within the ruling party.
