Kolkata, March 18 Signs of simmering rebellion emerged within the ruling TMC a day after the party unveiled its candidate list for the West Bengal assembly polls, with several sitting MLAs and leaders openly expressing resentment over being denied tickets in what the party describes as a sweeping "controlled churn" to counter anti-incumbency.
From North Bengal to the southern part of the state, disgruntled leaders staged protests, resigned from organisational posts, or warned of electoral consequences, exposing the risks accompanying one of the biggest candidate reshuffles the party has undertaken in recent elections.
In its list announced on Tuesday, the TMC dropped 74 sitting MLAs, nearly a third of its legislative strength, while naming candidates for 291 of the 294 seats, signalling a calibrated attempt by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to inject new faces and blunt anti-incumbency as the party seeks a fourth consecutive term in power.
However, the move has triggered immediate discontent among sections of the party’s grassroots leadership.
In Malda’s Harishchandrapur, sitting MLA and state minister Tajmul Hossain erupted in anger after the party replaced him with Matiur Rahman, who had contested the same seat on a BJP ticket in the 2021 assembly polls.
Visibly emotional while addressing supporters outside his residence, the three-time MLA accused the party of betrayal.
“I served the party with loyalty for 15 years. Someone suddenly arrives and gets the ticket. The party has betrayed me, and it will have to face the consequences,” he said, even breaking down during a meeting with supporters.
His followers went a step further, alleging that the seat had been “sold for money” and blaming political consultancy firm I-PAC for the decision.
Further north in Jalpaiguri’s Rajganj, veteran MLA Khageswar Roy resigned from his post as district TMC chairman after being denied a ticket from the constituency, where the party has fielded Asian Games gold medallist Swapna Barman.
Roy alleged that “money power” had influenced the decision and predicted defeat for the party in the seat.
“I have been with Mamata Banerjee since she formed the TMC after leaving the Congress. Today I have been defeated by money,” he told reporters.
The resentment was not confined to the northern part of the state.
In North 24 Parganas’ Amdanga in South Bengal, three-time MLA Rafiqur Rahaman appealed to the party leadership to reconsider its decision to field Peerzada Kasem Siddiqui in his place.
Soon after the announcement, Rahaman’s supporters blocked the Amdanga–Kakinara Road, burnt tyres and raised slogans in his support.
“I urge the party leadership to rethink the decision. I remain a worker of the party, but I do not know how successful we will be this time,” Rahaman said, hinting at possible electoral repercussions.
In Hooghly’s Chinsurah, the party’s decision to nominate youth leader and IT cell chief Debangshu Bhattacharya triggered disappointment among supporters of three-time MLA Asit Mazumdar, who hinted at retiring from politics after being denied renomination.
“Politics is over for me. I will be taking rest,” Mazumdar said, reflecting the mood among several leaders who were dropped from the candidate list.
Bhattacharya, however, adopted a conciliatory tone, calling Mazumdar “a father figure” and expressing hope that he would receive his blessings during the campaign.
Political observers say the discontent reflects the difficult balancing act facing the TMC leadership as it attempts to rejuvenate its ranks without alienating entrenched local power centres built over the years.
The reshuffle, insiders say, is part of a deliberate strategy crafted by the party leadership to blunt anti-incumbency, introduce younger candidates and expand its social outreach ahead of what is expected to be an intensely contested election against the BJP.
Before announcing the candidate list, Mamata Banerjee had appealed to leaders denied tickets not to misunderstand the decision, assuring them that they would be given organisational responsibilities after the polls.
But on the ground, that message appears to have struggled to contain the immediate backlash.
Despite the protests, senior TMC leaders at the district level maintained that the party would close ranks during the campaign.
“Whatever decision the leadership takes is final. All workers have been asked to work unitedly for the official candidate,” a Malda district leader said.
The assembly elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.