TMC councillor Arup Chakraborty quits as party spokesperson after poll setback
Synopsis
Two Trinamool Congress spokespersons resigned on the same day — councillor Arup Chakraborty and former Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen — both citing the Assembly election verdict. Chakraborty's pointed press conference remarks, questioning where senior ministers were when party workers faced danger, hint at deeper internal fault lines within the TMC.
Key Takeaways
Arup Chakraborty , TMC councillor of Ward No.
98 , resigned as party spokesperson on 28 May via email to General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee .
A day earlier, he had also quit the KMC Accounts Committee , submitting his letter to Commissioner Smita Pandey and Mayor Firhad Hakim .
Councillor Sushanta Ghosh simultaneously resigned as chairman of Borough No.
12 ; both clarified they are retaining their councillor posts.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen also resigned as TMC spokesperson on the same day, writing to Mamata Banerjee .
Chakraborty publicly questioned the absence of senior party leaders, saying ‘party workers are now in danger.’
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Arup Chakraborty on Thursday, 28 May resigned from the post of party spokesperson, sending an email to party General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee at around 1 pm. The resignation follows a string of exits by TMC functionaries in the wake of the state Assembly election results.
The Resignation Letters
In his email to the party leadership, Chakraborty cited personal reasons for stepping down. He wrote: “I am honoured to have been able to serve the party in this way. As long as I have worked, I have tried to highlight the ideology, values and philosophy of the party while representing it before the people and the media.” He added: “I am grateful for the trust the party leadership has placed in me and for giving me this responsibility.”
The resignation as spokesperson came a day after Chakraborty, the councillor of Ward No. 98 at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), also stepped down from the post of member of the Accounts Committee at the KMC. He submitted that resignation letter to KMC Commissioner Smita Pandey, and subsequently to Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim.
Sushanta Ghosh Also Steps Down
Chakraborty was not alone. Fellow TMC councillor Sushanta Ghosh accompanied him and resigned from the post of chairman of Borough No. 12. Both leaders later submitted their resignation letters to Mayor Hakim. Notably, both clarified that they were not resigning from their councillor posts — only from their respective KMC committee positions.
Chakraborty's Remarks on the Election Verdict
At a press conference later in the day, Chakraborty made pointed remarks about the Assembly election outcome. “This result in the Assembly election was not desirable. However, the verdict of the people has to be taken seriously. If we cannot accept defeat, the previous victory becomes false. The party workers are now in danger. Where are those leaders now who were ministers for so long?” he said.
The comments signal a degree of internal discontent within the party, with Chakraborty appearing to question the accountability of senior leaders in the aftermath of the electoral setback.
Santanu Sen Also Quits as Spokesperson
Earlier on the same day, Santanu Sen — a doctor, former Rajya Sabha MP, and TMC leader — also resigned as party spokesperson through a letter addressed to TMC supremo and former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Sen stated that he had decided to step down after accepting the people's verdict in the state Assembly elections.
The back-to-back resignations of two party spokespersons in a single day point to a broader churn within the TMC's organisational structure following the election results. Whether the party leadership moves swiftly to fill these vacancies and address the underlying discontent will be closely watched.
Point of View
But the combination of KMC committee exits and public criticism from sitting councillors signals that the party's organisational discipline is under strain. How Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee manage this wave of visible discontent will test the party's cohesion ahead of future electoral cycles.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Arup Chakraborty resign as TMC spokesperson?
Arup Chakraborty cited personal reasons in his email to party General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. However, at a subsequent press conference, he made pointed remarks about the Assembly election outcome and questioned the accountability of senior party leaders, suggesting the resignation may also reflect broader post-election disillusionment.
Did Arup Chakraborty resign from his councillor post as well?
No. Chakraborty clarified that he is retaining his position as councillor of Ward No. 98 at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. He resigned only from the party spokesperson role and the KMC Accounts Committee membership.
Who else resigned from the TMC on 28 May?
Santanu Sen, a doctor, former Rajya Sabha MP, and TMC leader, also resigned as party spokesperson on the same day through a letter to Mamata Banerjee. Councillor Sushanta Ghosh resigned as chairman of Borough No. 12 alongside Chakraborty.
What did Chakraborty say about the Assembly election result?
At a press conference, Chakraborty said the Assembly election result ‘was not desirable’ and that the people’s verdict must be accepted. He also warned that party workers were ‘in danger’ and questioned the whereabouts of leaders who had served as ministers for long periods.
What is the significance of these resignations for the Trinamool Congress?
The back-to-back resignations of two spokespersons in a single day, combined with public criticism from a sitting councillor, indicate internal friction within the TMC following the Assembly election results. It raises questions about organisational morale and leadership accountability within the party.
