Last Updated:May 16, 2025, 22:40 IST

According to party insiders, two key developments stand out: removal of Sudip Bandyopadhyay as president of North Kolkata and Anubrata Mondal as president of Birbhum

TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had declared on July 21 last year that the party would review the performance of all leaders following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and take necessary disciplinary action. Sources confirm that Abhishek conducted a review and submitted a detailed report to party supremo Mamata Banerjee, which has influenced many of the changes. File pic/PTI

West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) carried out a major organisational reshuffle on Friday, appointing 11 new district presidents and 12 new district chairmen. According to party insiders, two key developments stand out: the removal of Sudip Bandyopadhyay as the president of North Kolkata and Anubrata Mondal as the president of Birbhum.

Veteran TMC leader and Lok Sabha party leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay has now been appointed as the district chairperson of North Kolkata. The district will be managed by a nine-member core committee, which includes senior MLAs such as Atin Ghosh and Supti Pandey. Notably, Kunal Ghosh, who has been actively involved in North Kolkata affairs and has often opposed Bandyopadhyay, is absent from the committee.

There will be no new district president for North Kolkata, which is a significant development.

This isn’t the first time Bandyopadhyay has been removed from this position. Years ago, he was replaced by Tapas Roy (now with the Bharatiya Janata Party). At that time, sources say Bandyopadhyay was deeply upset and personally appealed to TMC chairperson and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to reinstate him, which was successful. His removal this time is, therefore, considered a major step by the party leadership.

Once considered the strongman of TMC in the Birbhum district, Anubrata Mondal has now been moved to a core committee role. Birbhum, long synonymous with his influence in TMC politics, will not have a district president going forward. During Mondal’s time in jail, Mamata Banerjee had appointed a committee to oversee the district. After securing bail, Mondal was asked to work with the committee, but according to insiders, he did not cooperate fully. His removal from the top post is being seen as another significant step in this reshuffle.

In another development, TMC MP Mahua Moitra has retained her position as the president of Krishnanagar, despite not enjoying broad support within the party.

TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had declared on July 21 last year that the party would review the performance of all leaders following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and take necessary disciplinary action. Sources confirm that Abhishek conducted a review and submitted a detailed report to party supremo Mamata Banerjee, which has influenced many of the changes.

One notable omission is that no district president has been named for Barasat, which was previously headed by MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. Similarly, no president has been announced for the Darjeeling plains.

Mamata Banerjee has also appointed Chaitali Sarkar, wife of murdered Trinamool leader Dulal (Babla) Sarkar, as the party’s head in Malda. This too is a significant step, say party insiders, as there are several factions in the Malda unit. On January 2, Englishbazar Ward 22 councillor Dulal Sarkar was gunned down by armed criminals in a shop near his plywood factory in Malda’s Jhaljhalia area. Police arrested five youths, all of whom are in their early twenties and suspected of being contract killers.

In districts like Howrah and Medinipur, the return of experienced leaders has been observed, with Arup Roy and Ajit Maity being appointed as district presidents. According to sources, Ajit Maity’s appointment came at the request of MP Dev.

Interestingly, while some leaders were included in various core committees, Kunal Ghosh—despite being a general secretary of the party—was not given such a role, a decision that has raised eyebrows within party circles.

Sources suggest that Mamata Banerjee made several decisions in this reshuffle based on Abhishek Banerjee’s internal report. The new list appears to be a calculated mix of senior and newer faces, reflecting an effort to balance experience with fresh energy. Experts describe it as a deliberate “mix-and-match” approach.

TMC’s primary objective is to win the 2026 Bengal assembly elections. Whether or not everyone agrees, it’s evident that religion is expected to be a major issue in that election, and this new team will be instrumental in managing the campaign.

Party sources indicate that more changes are likely at the block level, where individual performance will be the key criterion for appointments.

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