Kolkata/New Delhi, Trinamool Congress suffered a major political blow on Monday when senior party leader and Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Shekhar Roy resigned from the party’s primary membership and also gave up his membership of the upper house.

Roy’s move, amid long-standing internal discontent within the party led by Mamata Banerjee, signals that the tug-of-war within the organization has now reached the party’s parliamentary wing. Roy, one of the founding members of Trinamool Congress and counted among the party’s most prominent faces in Parliament, announced his resignation in the national capital at a time when the opposition alliance ‘INDIA’ was scheduled to meet just a few hours later. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee also attended this meeting.

Roy targets corruption and leadership

Roy’s resignation comes days after a rebellion in the Trinamool Congress legislative party in West Bengal. 58 party MLAs took a different stance from the leadership line, supporting Ritabrata Banerjee for the post of Leader of Opposition and rejecting the party’s official candidate Shobhandev Chattopadhyay. This rebellion ended with the Assembly Speaker recognizing Ritabrata as the Leader of Opposition. It exposed deep rifts within the organization after the party’s defeat in the assembly elections and fueled fears that this unrest could be seen outside the assembly as well.

In his statement, Roy cited widespread corruption in governance and party organization and said that public anger against the party’s previous term has reached dangerous levels. The senior MP, who had been gradually distancing himself from the party leadership for the past year, also targeted Trinamool’s stance on the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder case and repeatedly expressed disagreement on the issue. In Delhi, Roy told reporters, “I raised my voice openly on the RG Kar Hospital matter. After that, I was gradually isolated in the party. My only mistake was that I demanded a departmental inquiry against some police officers because I believed they played a major role in destroying evidence.”

Roy’s resignation reduces Trinamool’s strength in Rajya Sabha to 12

Roy alleged that attempts were being made to protect the culprits at that time. He said that after that very controversy, he had mentally decided to leave the party. He said, “That was the limit for me. I understood that I would not stay in the party much longer.” Roy also claimed that corruption had become rampant in many areas and public anger against the party had reached such an extent that electoral defeat became certain. He demanded an investigation into the assets of Trinamool leaders holding key positions at the national level and alleged that many honest people in the organization have been marginalized.

Roy said, “Not everyone in the party is dishonest. But many honest people have been sidelined.” Political analysts believe the significance of this development is heightened because it happened in Delhi, while the party’s top leadership was busy consulting with allies at the opposition alliance ‘INDIA’ meeting. After Roy’s resignation, Trinamool’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has reduced to 12.

Roy’s exit increases difficulties for Trinamool leadership

Constitutional expert Roy has been one of Trinamool’s main strategists in Parliament for years and is considered the party’s most effective voice on legislative and constitutional issues. Asked about future plans, Roy said he has not decided to join any other party yet and indicated he might retire from active politics. He said, “I may completely withdraw from politics.”

The Trinamool leadership did not immediately react to Roy’s resignation. With the legislative party rebellion still unresolved, Roy’s resignation will deepen questions about the party’s unity and increase leadership’s concern that the turmoil in the assembly might reach Delhi.

Rajya Sabha</h

Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha, also known as the Council of States, is the upper house of India’s bicameral Parliament, established in 1952 under the Constitution of India. It represents the states and union territories, with members elected by state legislatures and the president nominating 12 members for expertise in arts, science, or social service. Unlike the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha is a permanent body not subject to dissolution, ensuring continuity in the legislative process.

RG Kar Hospital

RG Kar Hospital is a historic medical institution in Kolkata, India, established in 1925 and named after Dr. Radha Gobinda Kar, a prominent physician and social reformer. Originally founded as the first medical college and hospital in Bengal to train Indian doctors in Western medicine, it has since evolved into a major public hospital serving the region. The site holds cultural significance as a landmark of medical education and healthcare in eastern India.

West Bengal

West Bengal is a culturally rich state in eastern India, known for its history as the center of British colonial power in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and a hub of the Indian independence movement. It was formed in 1947 after the partition of Bengal, which created East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The state is famous for its literature, art, festivals like Durga Puja, and the Sundarbans mangrove forest.

Kolkata

Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, is a major cultural and commercial hub in eastern India, founded in 1690 by the British East India Company. It served as the capital of British India until 1911 and became a center for the Bengal Renaissance, Indian independence movements, and artistic and literary achievements. Today, it is renowned for its colonial architecture, vibrant festivals like Durga Puja, and rich intellectual heritage.

New Delhi

New Delhi is the capital of India, designed and built by British architect Edwin Lutyens in the early 20th century to replace Calcutta as the seat of British imperial power. Inaugurated in 1931, it features wide tree-lined avenues and grand government buildings like the Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate. Today, it serves as the political and cultural heart of the nation, blending colonial-era architecture with modern urban life.

India

India is a vast and diverse country in South Asia with a history spanning over 5,000 years, home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. It has been a crossroads of major religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, and was shaped by empires such as the Maurya, Gupta, and Mughal dynasties. Modern India gained independence from British rule in 1947 and is now the world’s largest democracy, known for its rich cultural heritage, languages, and traditions.