Another Big Blow to Mamata Banerjee: Trinamool Congress Rocked as Close Allies Jyotipriya Mallick and Gautam Deb Resign

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing one of its severest structural crises as its very existence appears to be in jeopardy. A major internal collapse is unfolding in West Bengal following the party’s dismal performance in the 2026 Assembly elections. In a twin blow to party supremo Mamata Banerjee, two of her oldest and most influential leaders, former state ministers Jyotipriya Mallick and Gautam Deb, have abruptly resigned from their positions, signaling deep fractures within the ruling camp.

The Double Resignation Blow

Jyotipriya Mallick, widely known as "Balu" and recognised as one of Mamata Banerjee's most trusted confidants since the TMC’s founding in 1998, resigned from all party posts on Friday. Just a week prior, Banerjee had elevated Mallick by appointing him to the party’s high-level National Working Committee and handing him organizational charge of the crucial North 24 Parganas district.

Mallick officially cited severe health complications for his sudden exit, stating that his blood sugar levels had spiked above 350 and his kidney functions had drastically deteriorated. However, political analysts view the move as a strategic retreat by a veteran who senses a sinking ship.

Simultaneously, senior leader Gautam Deb stepped down as the Mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation. Deb, who previously served as the Tourism Minister and North Bengal Development Minister, was adamant about his resignation despite pushback from his council members. His exit effectively collapses the TMC-led municipal board in Siliguri a year before its term was set to end.

 A Backdrop of Electoral Defeats and Corruption Scams

The dramatic exits come on the heels of major electoral setbacks for both leaders in the 2026 state elections.

Jyotipriya Mallick lost his stronghold seat of Habra to BJP’s Devdas Mandal. Gautam Deb was defeated in the Siliguri constituency by the BJP’s Shankar Ghosh, who is now a state minister.

Mallick's political career had already been severely tarnished after his 2023 arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a multi-crore ration distribution scam. Despite spending months in jail before securing bail, Mamata Banerjee fiercely defended him in public rallies, labeling the corruption charges a "central conspiracy" and granting him an election ticket. Despite this unwavering support, Mallick’s failure at the polls isolated him from the public eye until his final exit on Friday.

Following Deb's resignation in North Bengal, BJP leaders wasted no time attacking the TMC. State Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh alleged that Siliguri residents were deprived of civic services under Deb's chaotic tenure, while BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar remarked that while leaders can quit the party, they cannot escape legal accountability for past misdeeds.

Mamata Banerjee’s Growing Isolation

The twin exits of Mallick and Deb are not isolated incidents but part of a wider domino effect destabilising the TMC. Following the party's recent assembly election defeat, a wave of municipal heads has stepped down. High-profile figures including Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, Bidhannagar Mayor Krishna Chakraborty, and Chandannagar Mayor Ram Chakraborty have all recently vacated their posts.

As TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee rushes to Delhi to address a potential split in the parliamentary party with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the ground beneath the TMC in Bengal is rapidly shifting. For Mamata Banerjee, the loss of her founding "soldiers", people who stood by her during the party’s inception and violent political struggles, highlights a growing political isolation. The trusted pillars that once held up her administration are systematically distancing themselves, leaving the future of the Trinamool Congress highly uncertain.

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