Partha Chatterjee's Political Comeback: Ex-Mamata Aide's Bail Sparks Speculation
In a curious turn of events, former West Bengal education minister and suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Partha Chatterjee appears to be on the verge of a political comeback, just weeks ahead of the Assembly elections. Chatterjee, a prime accused in the 2022 Bengal school jobs scam, was recently inducted into key committees of the West Bengal Assembly after being out on bail.
From Jail to Assembly Committees
Partha Chatterjee, who spent over three years in jail, has been included in several important Assembly panels, including the Housing and Fire Emergency Services Committee, Disaster Management Committee, and Library Committee. This move, detailed in an Assembly bulletin, has ignited widespread speculation about his potential return to mainstream politics.
According to Assembly rules, the Chief Minister, any minister, and the Leader of the Opposition cannot serve on Standing Committees or House Committees. Chatterjee, first elected as an MLA in 2001, previously served on multiple House panels. However, after becoming Leader of the Opposition in 2006 and following the TMC's rise to power in 2011, his long tenure as a Cabinet minister kept him off these committees. Now, with no ministerial role, he has re-entered the Assembly committee system.
A Low-Profile Approach Amid High Stakes
Despite the buzz, Chatterjee is maintaining a notably low profile. Close associates reveal that he communicates only through family members' phones, avoids public contact, and has cautioned supporters against gathering at his home or office. In his constituency of Behala Paschim in Kolkata, initial excitement among supporters has given way to disappointment as crowds have thinned following advice from his aides to avoid "unnecessary visibility."
One of Chatterjee's close associates shared, "We are expecting that dada (Chatterjee) will contest from Behala Paschim in the upcoming Assembly polls. He has done significant work for Behala, and we believe the people will not reject him if he appeals for their votes, even after the school jobs scam."
The associate added that it remains unclear whether Chatterjee will run on a TMC ticket or as an Independent, noting that his decision hinges on support from local TMC leaders. "He has not made any final decision about returning to mainstream politics, but he is in touch with close leaders from Behala. We await his final word," the associate stated.
TMC's Stance and Chatterjee's Fall from Grace
On the possibility of revoking Chatterjee's suspension and reintegrating him into the TMC, a senior party leader emphasized that the final decision rests solely with Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. "No one else can officially comment on Partha Chatterjee's inclusion in the TMC," the leader clarified.
Chatterjee's political downfall was swift and dramatic. Once a trusted lieutenant of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he was stripped of his TMC general secretary post, removed from the state Cabinet, and suspended from the party after the alleged jobs-for-cash scam emerged in 2022. In July 2022, during an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into irregularities in teacher appointments from 2016—when Chatterjee served as education minister—the agency recovered over Rs 50 crore in cash from a flat linked to his aide, Arpita Mukherjee. Chatterjee was subsequently arrested by the ED.
After more than three years in prison, he was granted conditional bail by the Calcutta High Court in September last year. However, he remained in jail due to a Supreme Court order requiring charges to be framed and witness statements recorded. In November, after the final eight witnesses testified, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court ordered his release.
Looking Ahead: Chatterjee's Political Future
Since his release on November 11, 2025, Chatterjee has kept a low profile but recently announced plans to attend the Assembly's Budget Session—the last session before the state elections scheduled for March-April. In a telling statement, he remarked, "Life is not over. A fish cannot stay away from water (referring to politics). I entered politics with an ideology, not to make money. I want to stay with the people, which aligns with Mamata Banerjee's ideology."
As West Bengal gears up for crucial elections, all eyes are on Partha Chatterjee's next move. Will he stage a dramatic political comeback, or will his legal troubles and party suspension keep him on the sidelines? Only time will tell, but his recent committee inductions suggest that the door to politics may not be fully closed for this former TMC heavyweight.
