Kolkata: Veteran Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Madan Mitra on Wednesday resigned from all organisational responsibilities in the Mamata Banerjee-led faction, blaming Abhishek Banerjee's leadership style for his decision and declaring that the party had reached a point where "the boat has already sunk."

While making it clear that he has not resigned as an MLA, the senior legislator crossed over to the rival camp led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, marking one of the biggest political setbacks for Mamata Banerjee's faction since the party split following the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election defeat.

"I have changed my room, not my house," Mitra said after meeting Ritabrata Banerjee inside the Assembly, insisting that he still considers himself part of the Trinamool Congress despite relinquishing every organisational post.

Explaining his decision, Mitra launched his strongest attack yet on Abhishek Banerjee, accusing the TMC national general secretary of turning the organisation into a one-person power centre.

According to Mitra, he had repeatedly urged the leadership to temporarily sideline Abhishek Banerjee so that senior leaders could rebuild the party after its electoral setbacks.

"I suggested that Abhishek Banerjee step aside for six months or even a year so we could rebuild the organisation. But he refused. The party is sinking, yet everything is being done to save only one individual," Mitra said.

He alleged that the TMC's original identity had been overshadowed by what he described as an excessive focus on Abhishek Banerjee.

"The party belongs to its workers, not to one person. Decisions cannot be dictated by a single leader," he said.

Mitra claimed the atmosphere within the organisation had become unbearable because of what he called Abhishek Banerjee's "Hitlerian attitude."

"It was no longer possible for me to work there. Everything had become suffocating because of Abhishek Banerjee's Hitlerian attitude. We are among the old Trinamool workers, but there was no space left for us," he said.

He maintained that he was quitting only his organisational responsibilities and not his legislative position.

"I have not left the Trinamool Congress. I have resigned from every post I held in the organisation. I remain with the Trinamool Congress," Mitra said.

WhatsApp apology to Mamata Banerjee

Before switching camps, Mitra said he informed Mamata Banerjee through a WhatsApp message.

"I sent her a WhatsApp message saying 'Sorry'. She stood by us for years, and we also tried to contribute in our own way. I thank her for everything she has done. But she must decide whether she wants to pursue people's politics or dynasty politics centred on her nephew," he said.

The veteran leader also confirmed that he would attend the July 21 Martyrs' Day programme organised by the Ritabrata Banerjee camp.

Mitra's move is being viewed as one of the most significant political blows to the Mamata Banerjee camp since internal divisions widened after the party's defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections.

His crossover follows weeks of speculation fuelled by meetings with rebel leaders and comes at a time when several senior figures have questioned Abhishek Banerjee's growing influence over organisational affairs.

Although the Enforcement Directorate recently summoned Mitra's wife and two sons in connection with an alleged municipal recruitment scam, the veteran politician denied any link between the investigation and his decision.

Rejecting suggestions that the ED action influenced him, Mitra remarked, "Abhishek is more frightening than the ED," while reiterating that his resignation was driven entirely by dissatisfaction with the party's internal functioning.

Who is Madan Mitra?

Madan Mitra is one of the Trinamool Congress's most recognisable and longest-serving leaders. A founding-era member of the party, he joined Mamata Banerjee when she launched the TMC in 1998 and has remained a prominent political figure in West Bengal for nearly three decades.

The Kamarhati MLA previously served as West Bengal's Transport Minister before resigning after his arrest in the Saradha chit fund case in 2014. He contested the 2016 Assembly election from jail and returned to the Assembly after winning Kamarhati in 2021. Known for his trademark "Oh Lovely" catchphrase, flamboyant public appearances and political resilience, Mitra has remained one of Bengal's best-known politicians despite multiple controversies.

With agency inputs