KOLKATA: Jyoti Priya Mallick, a former minister in the West Bengal government, announced his resignation from all positions within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday, attributing the decision to his deteriorating health. Mallick, a long-time associate of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and a key organizer in North 24 Parganas, stated that he had already communicated his decision to the party leadership.
"I have resigned from all the posts in the TMC because of my extremely poor health condition," Mallick said. The resignation comes shortly after the TMC unveiled a significant organizational restructuring, in which Mallick was included in the party's newly constituted working committee.
Popularly known as 'Balu', Mallick served as the state's food and supplies minister from 2011 to 2021. Over the past two decades, he played a crucial role in strengthening the TMC's organizational network in North 24 Parganas. However, his political career encountered a major hurdle in October 2023 when he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged ration distribution scam. Following his arrest, Mallick frequently cited health problems and underwent medical examinations while in custody.
The development unfolds amid reports of internal strife within the TMC after the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections. A faction of 58 dissident TMC MLAs, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, broke away from the party leadership and was recognized by the Speaker as the dominant legislative group, with Banerjee elected as the Leader of the Opposition. The crisis also extended to Parliament, where 20 rebel TMC MPs, including Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, distanced themselves from the party's central leadership and sought a merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), claiming support from more than two-thirds of the TMC's Lok Sabha members. This split has triggered legal and political disputes over party control, anti-defection provisions, and the legitimacy of rival groups.
In the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, Mallick contested from Habra on a TMC ticket but lost. A former MLA from Gaighata, he represented Habra for three consecutive terms after winning the constituency in 2011, 2016, and 2021.
