‘Abhishek destroyed TMC, BJP stood by us’: Top party leaders Manoj Tiwary, Riju Dutta erupt

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) appears to be facing an unprecedented internal crisis after its crushing electoral defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, with several senior leaders publicly attacking the party leadership and accusing it of arrogance, neglect, and political mismanagement.

Former cricketer and ex-minister Manoj Tiwary launched one of the sharpest attacks yet, targeting senior TMC leader and former sports minister Aroop Biswas.

Tiwary alleged that developmental projects in Howrah were deliberately blocked because of internal insecurity and factional politics within the party.

Tiwary, who represented the Shibpur assembly constituency after winning in 2021 but was denied a ticket this time, claimed he had tried to bring major sporting infrastructure to the district but was repeatedly obstructed.

According to him, a proposed athletics hub involving Jamaican sprint legend Yohan Blake never materialised because certain leaders feared the political mileage he could gain from the project.

He also alleged that during his tenure as junior sports minister, he was systematically sidelined and humiliated at official events.

Tiwary claimed he was denied meaningful responsibilities and often excluded from major programmes despite holding ministerial office.

In a scathing video message posted online, the former minister said the TMC government had “received the treatment it deserved” because it failed to work for ordinary people and became increasingly disconnected from public concerns.

‘TMC abandoned us, BJP leaders helped’

The post-poll anger inside the party was not limited to Manoj Tiwary. TMC spokesperson Riju Dutta also publicly expressed frustration with the leadership, claiming he received little support from his own party during violent incidents that allegedly unfolded after counting trends indicated a BJP victory.

In a social media video, Dutta alleged that his family members were attacked by people claiming allegiance to the BJP. However, he said the leaders who stepped in to calm the situation and prevent further escalation were from the BJP itself, not from the TMC.

His remarks have triggered fresh embarrassment for the party, especially at a time when it is already battling criticism over organisational collapse and weak coordination at the grassroots level.

The discontent has also spread to other prominent faces within the party. Actor-MP Dev, while congratulating the BJP on its victory, appealed to the incoming administration to restore harmony and artistic freedom in Bengal’s film industry. He stressed that cinema should not become a victim of political divisions and called for an atmosphere of coexistence and mutual respect.

Dev also urged the new government to cooperate on the long-pending Ghatal Master Plan, a major flood-control project in his constituency that has remained a key public issue for years.

Leaders blame Abhishek Banerjee’s style of functioning

The sharpest political criticism within the TMC, however, has been directed at Abhishek Banerjee.

Several leaders, privately upset over ticket distribution and campaign management, have now openly blamed the party’s de facto second-in-command for the electoral collapse.

Senior leader Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury and Kolkata deputy mayor Atin Ghosh were among those who questioned the party’s internal functioning and decision-making process.

Both leaders reportedly believe the concentration of power and lack of consultation damaged the party’s organisational structure ahead of the polls.

Ratna Chatterjee, who was shifted from Behala Purba to Behala Paschim before losing the election, also indicated that she struggled to reach the party leadership during crucial moments of the campaign.

The series of public statements has exposed widening fractures inside the TMC just days after its defeat, with many leaders appearing unwilling to remain silent any longer.

Attempting damage control, the party issued a formal clarification stating that comments made by individual leaders should not be treated as the official position of the TMC.

The statement maintained that only communications released through authorised party channels reflect the organisation’s official stand.

Despite the clarification, the back-to-back outbursts have intensified speculation over growing unrest within the TMC and raised questions about how the party plans to recover from one of the most damaging defeats in its political history.