He is solely responsible for party’s defeat across Bengal: Malda TMC leaders target Abhishek Banerjee
Telegraph | 8 May 2026
Senior Trinamool leaders in Malda, including a former cabinet minister, have openly targeted the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, holding him responsible for the party’s massive defeat in the Assembly elections.
Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, a former Trinamool MLA and a minister in the party’s second government, blamed Abhishek and the “corporate culture” within the party.
“Abhishek Banerjee is solely responsible for the party’s defeat not only in Malda but across Bengal. He transformed Trinamool from a political organisation into a corporate entity, where I-PAC became the decision-making authority. Party leaders were unable to communicate their views, concerns and ground realities to the top leadership due to the barriers created by Abhishek and I-PAC,” alleged Choudhury, who currently serves as chairman of the Trinamool-run Englishbazar municipality in Malda.
Choudhury further drew a sharp analogy, claiming chief minister Mamata Banerjee had assumed the role of the blind king Dhritarashtra from the Mahabharata.
“I raised several issues and challenges and communicated them to her (Mamata) through WhatsApp. She promised action, but nothing materialised. Had Mamata Banerjee led the party independently, guided by senior leaders, this defeat might have been avoided,” he added.
Notably, Choudhury — whose association with Mamata goes back to the early 1990s, even before she formed her party —was denied a Trinamool ticket in the recent elections.
Another senior Trinamool leader, Kartik Ghosh, a former chairman of Old Malda municipality, also launched a scathing attack on Abhishek on Wednesday, blaming him for the party’s poll debacle.
“Abhishek Banerjee removed me from the post of municipal chairman after the party performed poorly (in Malda) in the 2024 parliamentary polls. I was made a scapegoat. He treated senior leaders like subordinates, acting as an unquestioned authority within the party. Trinamool has lost the Maldaha Assembly seat by over 50,000 votes this time (to the BJP's Gopal Chandra Saha). Abhishek Banerjee must apologise,” Ghosh said.
Some political observers believe that this public criticism could be strategically motivated.
“These are seasoned politicians and have realised that the Trinamool Congress may not return to power in Bengal in the near future. Their critical remarks could be an attempt to signal their willingness to an alignment with the BJP,” a political analyst said.
Contacted, Ajay Ganguly, the BJP’s Malda south (organisational) district president, rejected such speculations.
“We have been strengthened by public support. Trinamool leaders have acted against people's interests. Why should we tarnish our party’s image by inducting such rootless leaders?” Ganguly asked.