Chandrima Bhattacharya resigned as the Trinamool Congress's Bengal president on Saturday, barely a month after taking charge, in a major setback for the Mamata Banerjee-led faction as the party grapples with an escalating internal rebellion following its 2026 assembly election defeat.
In her resignation letter addressed to party chairperson Mamata Banerjee, Bhattacharya also stepped down from all other positions she held in the Trinamool Congress, fuelling speculation over whether she had effectively severed ties with the Mamata Banerjee-led camp.
Bhattacharya, who was appointed the party's Bengal president on June 3 at the Trinamool Congress national working committee meeting held at Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence, had replaced senior leader Subrata Bakshi in the role.
She also relinquished her responsibilities as the authorised signatory of the party's and its associate organisations' bank accounts and as Mamata Banerjee's authorised representative before the Election Commission.
A former minister who handled key portfolios such as Finance and Health as Minister of State and a former head of the party's women's wing, Bhattacharya had long been regarded as one of Mamata Banerjee's closest associates.
"At the end I would like to state that I have the highest regards for you and will remain ever respectful to you," she stated in her resignation letter.
Speaking to reporters later, Bhattacharya said her decision followed a phone call from Mamata Banerjee, who allegedly blamed her for "allowing the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction of the party to take control of the party's Trinamool Bhavan operational headquarters" in Kolkata.
Bhattacharya was present at the party office when leaders of the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction entered Trinamool Bhavan on Friday. She left the premises shortly afterwards, while the dissident leaders held a meeting, changed the locks of the main gate and announced they would operate from the headquarters.
"I was deeply hurt when she (Mamata Banerjee) called me to say that I have handed over the party office to them (the rebels), although I do not know how I did that. It is evident that my loyalty and trustworthiness were shaken from their roots. This had never happened in the past. Once those fundamental binding forces are gone, there is no reason for me to stay in the party or return to it," Bhattacharya told reporters.
Asked if she would join the rebel camp, she said, "There's more to life than this. I am yet to decide the course I will chart".
Bhattacharya declined to comment on the widening factional feud within the party or indicate which side she supported, saying "the matters are sub judice either before the Election Commission or before the court".
Minutes later, she was seen attending a meeting with leaders of the dissident camp in the chamber of Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee in the state assembly. She was received at the assembly gate by deputy Leader of Opposition Sandipan Saha.
Her resignation comes weeks after her son, Sourav Basu, a former Kolkata Municipal Corporation councillor, joined the rebel camp and attended its meetings. Basu was also present at the assembly meeting on Saturday.
Reacting to the development, TMC MLA and Mamata Banerjee loyalist Kunal Ghosh took a swipe at Bhattacharya.
"I will not not comment in detail about the development that has only just taken place. However, I will say this: Her (Bhattacharya's) self-esteem was never hurt when Mamata Banerjee entrusted her with responsibilities of key departments in the government. It has only surfaced after the party lost the polls," Ghosh said.
A three-time MLA, Bhattacharya lost the Dum Dum Uttar seat to the BJP's Sourav Sikdar in the 2026 Bengal Assembly elections.
Her resignation adds to the Trinamool Congress's growing leadership crisis following its surprise electoral defeat. Former Kolkata mayor and senior minister Firhad Hakim has already joined the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction, while veteran MLA Jawed Khan and senior leader Golam Rabbani have also aligned with the dissidents.
The split has further widened after 20 of the party's 28 Lok Sabha MPs joined a breakaway group seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc after merging with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India and extending support to the NDA.
The rebellion has now evolved into an organisational battle, with the dissident camp staking claim over the party headquarters, election symbol and funds, prompting the Election Commission to initiate proceedings on the dispute.