Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP from Barasat, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, resigned from her position as the party's Barasat organisational district president on Sunday. In a letter addressed to state party president Subrata Bakshi, she stated that she was stepping down, taking moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the Barasat constituency. While doing so, she indirectly attacked political consultancy agency I-PAC, which has been associated with the TMC's election strategies.
Allegations Against I-PAC
In her resignation letter, Ghosh Dastidar wrote, "I think that the way this organisation has worked and abused us, the way they put pressure on us, this is not the way to work. Wherever they go, I think they will produce dangerous results in the elections." She expressed her dissatisfaction with the functioning of the consultancy firm, which has been involved in multiple election campaigns across India.
Background of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar
A TMC veteran and chairperson of the party's women's wing, Ghosh Dastidar is a four-time MP who has long been associated with party chief Mamata Banerjee. She has often been seen participating in movements alongside Banerjee and previously served as TMC's chief whip in the Lok Sabha. However, following the party's poor performance in the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, she was removed from the post of chief whip and replaced by Kalyan Banerjee.
Corruption Allegations and Appeal to Mamata Banerjee
In her resignation letter, Ghosh Dastidar referred to allegations of corruption within the party in recent times and appealed to Banerjee to rely once again on honest, experienced, and dedicated party workers to restore the party's image. She urged the party leadership to address internal issues to regain public trust.
Press Conference Remarks
Later, speaking at a press conference, Ghosh Dastidar alleged that young I-PAC staffers behaved poorly with grassroots workers. "I have seen how those young boys and girls treated party workers. I have been a public representative here for 17 years. My office has remained open to the people round the clock. I have worked extensively across all seven assembly segments under my constituency. I expected people to stand by us. But the election results showed otherwise. Criminalisation has spread across all levels in the party. I can't accept that TMC has come down to 80 seats," she said.
Her resignation and public statements highlight growing discontent within the TMC over the party's electoral strategy and internal dynamics, especially regarding the role of external consultants like I-PAC.
