All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA and former state minister Rathin Ghosh appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its Salt Lake office in Kolkata on Monday, 1 June, in connection with the municipal recruitment corruption case. The appearance came after Ghosh had skipped a previous summons on 25 May, citing election commitments.

Background of the Summons

Ghosh had first been called to the CGO Complex on 15 May, when he complied. A second summons issued for 25 May went unheeded. The ED then issued a fresh notice, and on Monday the MLA arrived with the requested documents. 'I came because I was called. I brought the documents that they had asked for,' he told reporters outside the office.

This is not the first time Ghosh has been questioned in the case. He was summoned multiple times ahead of the state Assembly elections as well, though he repeatedly cited election work as a reason for non-appearance.

TMC's Deepening Crisis

Ghosh's ED appearance unfolded on the same morning the state Cabinet was expanded at Lok Bhavan, a timing that underscored the turbulence facing the Trinamool. The party's tally in the recent state Assembly elections reportedly fell to 80 seats, a significant decline from its earlier strength.

The TMC has also been rocked by a series of attacks on its leaders. Senior party figure Abhishek Banerjee was reportedly attacked in Sonarpur, and on Sunday, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee was also attacked, according to reports. The incidents have fuelled visible public anger against the party's leadership.

Ghosh on Party Shortcomings

Asked by reporters why public sentiment had turned so sharply against the Trinamool, Ghosh acknowledged the discontent without elaborating. 'If we had understood that, a lot could have been done. But people didn't want it so... it didn't happen for various reasons,' he said, declining to go into specifics.

Ghosh also confirmed he had not attended a meeting called by party chief Mamata Banerjee at her Kalighat residence on Sunday, saying he was unwell. Notably, as many as 60 TMC MLAs reportedly skipped that meeting, forcing its cancellation — a rare public display of internal discord.

What Comes Next

Despite the mounting pressure, Ghosh maintained that 'the overall situation of the party is fine' and expressed optimism about working with the newly sworn-in ministers. The ED's investigation into the municipal recruitment corruption case is ongoing, and further questioning of party figures cannot be ruled out as the probe advances.