- By Surarika Das
- Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:29 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- The resignation serves as a severe blow to the TMC, particularly at a time when it is trying to revive its organisational strength at the grassroots level.
- Mallick served as the party president of the North 24 Parganas district, a region that had long been considered a bastion for the Trinamool Congress.
- The trusted pillars that once held up Mamata Banerjee's administration are systematically distancing themselves.
As the series of exoduses in the Trinamool Congress continues, Jyoti Priya Mallick, the former minister of forests in West Bengal, resigned, citing serious health conditions. The development follows his induction into the party's national working committee, which was established after a conflict involving rebel MLAs and MPs that nearly caused a split within the party.
What Does The Letter Say?
In the letter from former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Mallick wrote, "My blood sugar level has risen abnormally, and I am suffering from a serious kidney disease. In such a situation, it is impossible to handle party responsibilities. There is no point in holding office when you cannot work." However, surprisingly, just a few days ago, Mamata Banerjee made a major reshuffle within the party, re-inducting Mallick into her working committee.
The resignation serves as a severe blow to the TMC, particularly at a time when it is trying to revive its organisational strength at the grassroots level. Mallick, for years, has been a key leader in the party and emerged as one of the closest aides of Mamata Banerjee. With his resignation, the party lost an important leader who would create an impact in this turbulent time.
Mallick's Political Career
Earlier, Mallick served as the party president of the North 24 Parganas district, a region that had long been considered a bastion for the Trinamool Congress. However, its dominance went for a toss in the 2026 assembly polls when the BJP won 22 of the 33 constituencies.
He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in October 2023 in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam. He was released on bail in January 2025 after spending 15 months in jail.
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The trouble surged further as Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, another ex-TMC leader and MP from that district, formed a separate bloc along with 19 other MPs and merged it with the Nationalist Citizens Party India (NCPI).
Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb Also Resigned
Meanwhile, Gautam Deb, a prominent TMC leader from North Bengal, has also resigned as mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation. He submitted his resignation to the municipal commissioner and immediately relinquished his official vehicle and security.
Gautam Deb's resignation isn't the only one. Several prominent TMC leaders have stepped down since the state government changed power. Former Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim and Bidhannagar Mayor Krishna Chakraborty also resigned. Furthermore, on June 17, Mamata Banerjee's ally in the Darjeeling Hills and Chief Executive of the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA), Anit Thapa, also resigned.
The trusted pillars that once held up Mamata Banerjee's administration are systematically distancing themselves, leaving the future of the Trinamool Congress highly uncertain.