Mass Exodus Hits TMC: Over 100 Municipal Councillors Quit Civic Bodies After Bengal Poll Rout
Over 100 Trinamool Congress (TMC) municipal councillors across West Bengal have resigned following the party's 2026 Assembly election defeat, signaling a collapse of its urban political network. Resignations, including 30 in Bhatpara Municipality, stem from fears of police action, corruption investigations, and perceived lack of autonomy under party leadership, particularly in Diamond Harbour, a stronghold linked to TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee." "article": "More than 100 Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillors have resigned from municipal bodies across West Bengal, marking a mass exodus that exposes deep instability within the party after its 2026 Assembly election defeat. The largest resignations occurred in Bhatpara Municipality, where 30 of 35 councillors, including chairperson Reba Raha, stepped down, followed by 16 in Halisahar and 14 in Kanchrapara. Councillors publicly cited personal or organizational reasons but privately admitted fear of police action and corruption probes, intensified by recent arrests. Ranjan Poddar, a Bidhannagar councillor, was arrested on May 20 over alleged extortion from transport operators, while Samrat Barua faced similar charges. In Cooch Behar, TMC councillor Ujjal Tar was detained for alleged intimidation during elections. Diamond Harbour Municipality, a TMC stronghold linked to national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, saw eight councillors resign, accusing party leadership of denying them control. Councillor Tamal Halder criticized the ‘Diamond Harbour Model,’ claiming police dominated operations and elected representatives had no real authority. Others alleged police involvement in corruption tied to illegal construction and extortion. Kolkata Municipal Corporation, once a TMC fortress, also showed cracks as TMC councillor Debalina Biswas resigned as chairperson. The resignations follow the BJP’s strong performance in the Falta Assembly repoll, where TMC’s Jahangir Khan finished fourth, losing his deposit. Analysts describe the exodus as a collapse of the TMC’s urban political machinery, further weakening its grassroots support.
More than 100 Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillors have resigned from municipal bodies across West Bengal, marking a mass exodus that exposes deep instability within the party after its 2026 Assembly election defeat. The largest resignations occurred in Bhatpara Municipality, where 30 of 35 councillors, including chairperson Reba Raha, stepped down, followed by 16 in Halisahar and 14 in Kanchrapara. Councillors publicly cited personal or organizational reasons but privately admitted fear of police action and corruption probes, intensified by recent arrests. Ranjan Poddar, a Bidhannagar councillor, was arrested on May 20 over alleged extortion from transport operators, while Samrat Barua faced similar charges. In Cooch Behar, TMC councillor Ujjal Tar was detained for alleged intimidation during elections. Diamond Harbour Municipality, a TMC stronghold linked to national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, saw eight councillors resign, accusing party leadership of denying them control. Councillor Tamal Halder criticized the ‘Diamond Harbour Model,’ claiming police dominated operations and elected representatives had no real authority. Others alleged police involvement in corruption tied to illegal construction and extortion. Kolkata Municipal Corporation, once a TMC fortress, also showed cracks as TMC councillor Debalina Biswas resigned as chairperson. The resignations follow the BJP’s strong performance in the Falta Assembly repoll, where TMC’s Jahangir Khan finished fourth, losing his deposit. Analysts describe the exodus as a collapse of the TMC’s urban political machinery, further weakening its grassroots support.
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