Major leadership shake-up in TMC ahead of 2026 Bengal Assembly elections
A significant reshuffle is underway within West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as the party prepares for the 2026 Assembly elections. The reorganization reflects a strategic shift towards national relevance and tighter coordination with the I.N.D.I.A bloc, with Abhishek Banerjee now formally taking over as the party’s parliamentary leader in Delhi.
Leadership overhaul triggered by coordination concerns
The internal clean-up was initiated by party chief Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is being positioned as the face of the party in national politics. The aim, sources say, is to form a more reliable and mature team that can enhance TMC’s image in Delhi and work closely with opposition partners in the I.N.D.I.A bloc.
However, the plan quickly went off-script during a brief 12-minute virtual meeting held by Mamata Banerjee with party MPs. The meeting, intended to address concerns over internal coordination, led to the abrupt resignation of TMC’s chief whip in Lok Sabha, Kalyan Banerjee.
Sudden resignations and restructuring
During the meeting, Mamata Banerjee reportedly criticized Kalyan Banerjee’s role in managing parliamentary affairs and announced that MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar would assume additional responsibilities. This prompted Kalyan Banerjee to resign immediately and express sharp discontent publicly.
Though the original plan was to address only Kalyan Banerjee’s role, his sudden resignation created a domino effect. The party also removed senior MP Sudip Bandopadhyay from the position of parliamentary party leader, replacing him with Abhishek Banerjee.
Abhishek Banerjee’s growing role
Abhishek Banerjee, already TMC’s lead interlocutor in Delhi, will now play a more formal role in shaping the party’s national strategy. He is expected to focus on Bengal-specific issues while representing TMC at the national level. Party insiders suggest that Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee — once rumoured to have conflicting views — are now aligned in their political vision.
Despite the internal reshuffle, Mamata Banerjee remains the Chief Ministerial face of the party.
Kalyan Banerjee speaks out
Following his resignation, Kalyan Banerjee expressed frustration over being held responsible for poor coordination among MPs.
“I have resigned as the party’s chief whip in Lok Sabha because Didi said there’s a lack of coordination. So the blame falls on me. But what can I do if MPs from South Kolkata, Barrackpore, Bankura, North Kolkata don’t even show up in Parliament?” Kalyan Banerjee said.
Abhishek Banerjee has since extended an olive branch, promising to meet Kalyan Banerjee in Delhi later this week.
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After having failed to have an English / Hindi speaking faces(like Derek and Mauha) in parliament the LAdy has finally smiled on the nephew,.