Former West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya (left) with former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. File

In yet another setback for the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress, the party’s Bengal State president, Chandrima Bhattacharya, stepped down from her position on Saturday (July 4, 2026), barely a month after she was entrusted with the crucial organisational responsibility in the aftermath of the party’s Assembly election debacle.

In a letter addressed to the Trinamool Congress chairperson, Ms. Bhattacharya also resigned from all other posts she held in the party, triggering speculations on whether she had severed her ties with the party for all practical purposes.

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A former Minister in the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government – in charge of key departments like Finance and Health as Minister of State, and a prominent leader of the party who led its women’s wing – Ms. Bhattacharya also withdrew herself as the party’s authorised signatory of its accounts maintained in various banks and as Mamata Banerjee’s authorised point person to appear before the Election Commission.

Ms. Bhattacharya was named State president at the party’s national working committee meeting held at Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence on June 5, replacing senior leader Subrata Bakshi.

Ms. Bhattacharya, a three-time MLA of the State, was humbled by BJP’s Sourav Sikdar at the Dum Dum Uttar constituency in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Published – July 04, 2026 02:46 pm IST