Barasat MP Kakali Ghosh Dastidar attacks TMC, Mamata over 'large-scale corruption'
Synopsis
Barasat MP Kakali Ghosh Dastidar broke her post-defection silence on 29 August, alleging a party-wide 'money-raising syndicate' inside Trinamool Congress — from grassroots workers to the top — and saying Mamata Banerjee's conduct over the past five to seven years made her departure inevitable. It is the sharpest public attack yet from a former Trinamool insider since the West Bengal Assembly election results.
Key Takeaways
Barasat MP Kakali Ghosh Dastidar held her first press conference on 29 August since leaving Trinamool Congress (TMC) .
She alleged 'large-scale corruption' including coal, cow, and gold smuggling and money laundering through housing schemes under TMC rule.
She claimed a money-raising syndicate operated from grassroots TMC workers to the party's highest levels.
She left TMC on 14 June alongside other MPs and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) after TMC's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections .
She had been seen at PM Modi's residence and in meetings with BJP leadership in New Delhi after her defection.
She alleged online harassment and filed a complaint with the Superintendent of Police, Barasat .
Barasat Lok Sabha MP Kakali Ghosh Dastidar on Saturday, 29 August launched a scathing attack on her former party, All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging 'large-scale corruption' under its rule in West Bengal and directly targeting party chief Mamata Banerjee — her first public remarks since switching political sides.
Key Allegations at the Press Conference
Speaking to reporters, Ghosh Dastidar alleged that the scale of corruption under the Trinamool government was unmatched anywhere else in India. She cited alleged smuggling of coal, cows, and gold, as well as money laundering carried out under the cover of housing schemes and government projects. She further claimed that a 'money-raising syndicate' operated across all levels of the party — from grassroots workers to its top leadership.
The MP also alleged that local leaders had siphoned funds from welfare programmes meant for the poor, including housing schemes and the Lakshmi Bhandar cash-transfer initiative. 'Even when benefits were disbursed, money was extracted,' she alleged, adding that ordinary citizens had rejected Trinamool once they became aware of these practices.
Why She Left Trinamool
Ghosh Dastidar said Mamata Banerjee's conduct over the past five to seven years had deeply disturbed her and ultimately drove her decision to quit the party. She acknowledged a long personal and political bond with Banerjee, saying she had entered politics inspired by her since childhood. 'I could not accept her degradation,' she said, adding that the party had ceased to respect the rule of law in recent years.
She had formally left Trinamool on 14 June — along with other MPs — following the party's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, and subsequently joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). After the switch, she was seen at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence in New Delhi and at several meetings with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership, though she had not made a public appearance in her Barasat constituency until this press conference.
Social Media Controversy and Police Complaint
Ahead of the press conference, posts by Ghosh Dastidar and her son Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar had triggered a social media uproar. She alleged she was targeted with obscene language online and said she had lodged a complaint with the Superintendent of Police, Barasat.
What Comes Next
This is the first time Ghosh Dastidar has publicly detailed her grievances against Trinamool since her defection, and her remarks are likely to intensify political pressure on the ruling dispensation in West Bengal. Whether she formalises an alliance with the BJP — or remains with the NCPI — is expected to become clearer as the political landscape in the state evolves ahead of future elections.
Point of View
Cattle, and gold smuggling, cut money in welfare schemes — are not new; they have been the BJP's standard charge sheet against TMC for years. What is new is that they are now being repeated by a two-term MP who was, until recently, a party loyalist. The more pointed question is whether these allegations will translate into formal legal action or remain political rhetoric ahead of the next electoral cycle. Her proximity to BJP leadership since the defection also raises the question of whether this press conference is a genuine accountability moment or an audition for a formal alliance.
NationPress
29 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Kakali Ghosh Dastidar leave Trinamool Congress?
She says she left because of what she describes as large-scale corruption under the Trinamool government and her disillusionment with party chief Mamata Banerjee's conduct over the past five to seven years. She formally quit the party on 14 June after TMC's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
What specific corruption allegations has she made against TMC?
She has alleged smuggling of coal, cows, and gold, money laundering through housing schemes and government projects, and the operation of a money-raising syndicate spanning grassroots workers to the party's top leadership. She also alleged that local leaders extracted money even when welfare benefits like Lakshmi Bhandar were disbursed to citizens.
Has Kakali Ghosh Dastidar formally joined the BJP?
As of this press conference, she is a member of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), not the BJP. However, she has been seen at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence and in several meetings with BJP leadership in New Delhi since her defection, fuelling speculation about a possible formal alignment.
What is the social media controversy surrounding her?
Posts by Ghosh Dastidar and her son Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar triggered a social media uproar. She alleged she was targeted with obscene language online and lodged a complaint with the Superintendent of Police, Barasat.
What is the political significance of her press conference?
It is the first time she has publicly detailed her reasons for leaving Trinamool since her June defection, and it represents the sharpest on-record attack on TMC by a former insider since the West Bengal Assembly election results. Her remarks are expected to intensify political pressure on the ruling party in the state.
