Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar resigns as TMC district president, signals unease over I-PAC

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has resigned as the party’s Barasat district president, citing moral responsibility for the party’s underwhelming performance in the Assembly elections while making remarks that appeared to indirectly question the role of external organisations in the party structure.

In a letter to TMC state president Subrata Bakshi, the Barasat MP formally communicated her decision and urged party chief Mamata Banerjee to place greater emphasis on experienced and loyal grassroots workers.

“My appeal to leader Mamata Banerjee is that if you continue to work with old and dedicated workers as before, the party’s image will improve. I do not think difficult tasks can be achieved with mushroom organisations,” Kakoli wrote in her letter.

The comments have drawn attention as TMC has worked closely with political consultancy firm I-PAC, whose role and influence have reportedly been questioned by sections within the party following the elections.

Though Dastidar did not directly name any organisation, her remarks are likely to intensify discussions around the party’s internal functioning.

Her resignation comes days after she was replaced as chief whip of the TMC parliamentary party.

During a meeting of party MPs at Kalighat on May 14, TMC leadership appointed Kalyan Banerjee to the position previously held by Kakoli.

Soon after being removed from the parliamentary role, Dastidar shared a social media post that triggered political speculation.

“Known since ’76, started the journey in ’84. Today, I have been rewarded for four decades of loyalty,” she wrote, a message widely seen as reflecting dissatisfaction over recent developments.

In her latest letter, she also raised broader concerns over governance and public perception, saying incidents of crime and corruption in West Bengal had created anxiety among people.

She stressed the need for greater transparency, accountability, responsibility, and political values to strengthen democratic processes.

The MP said the party had failed to achieve the expected results in her area during the Assembly polls and added that she was taking moral responsibility for the outcome, leading to her decision to step down from the district post.