Marking one of the most talked-about political homecomings in West Bengal in recent years, former Kolkata Mayor and veteran politician Sovan Chatterjee on Monday returned to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after seven years.
After rejoining the party along with his close associate Baisakhi Bandopadhyay, he headed to meet TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
Chatterjee's return to the TMC, days after he was appointed chairman of the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA), has fuelled speculations that the party is reviving old loyalties and reconciling with estranged veterans as it prepares for the 2026 Assembly elections.
The duo formally rejoined the TMC at the party headquarters in the presence of senior leaders Subrata Bakshi and state minister Aroop Biswas, who draped them with party scarves, marking their ceremonial return.
"This is a return to my roots. Didi (Mamata Banerjee) is like family. My arteries and veins are filled with Trinamool's blood, this is my home, my family. I will work under her leadership again to strengthen the party," Chatterjee told reporters after rejoining.
Biswas said the two leaders had expressed their wish to meet Abhishek Banerjee immediately after rejoining, and he had "gladly agreed." "They have formally conveyed to the party that they wish to contribute again to Mamata Banerjee's mission for Bengal's development," Biswas said.
Party insiders described the return as a "natural homecoming" for a leader who had played a pivotal role in building the TMC's base in Kolkata.
Chatterjee had quit the TMC in November 2018, resigning as minister, mayor and district president, citing personal reasons.
Chatterjee, a four-time MLA of the TMC and two-time mayor of Kolkata, besides being a minister, was asked by the chief minister to resign from his posts as both minister and mayor in November 2018 due to personal problems.
He joined the BJP in August 2019, but his stint in the saffron camp was brief and bitter, marked by internal squabbles and growing isolation.
Ironically, soon after joining the BJP, Chatterjee had expressed his desire to contest against Mamata Banerjee, his long-time political mentor, a move that symbolised the deep rupture in their once-close relationship.
Ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections, Chatterjee, who was given a party ticket from Behala West, and Bandopadhyay quit the BJP, accusing its state leadership of "insults and betrayal." Since then, their return to the TMC fold had been a matter of recurring speculation, which gained traction after their closed-door meeting with Abhishek Banerjee in September and Chatterjee's interaction with Mamata Banerjee in Darjeeling's Richmond Hill last month during her inspection of flood rehabilitation works in North Bengal.
Within days of that meeting, the state government appointed Chatterjee as NKDA chairman, setting the stage for his full political rehabilitation.
Political observers say the timing of Chatterjee's return, a former key aide who once belonged to Mamata Banerjee's innermost circle, underscores the TMC's strategy of healing old wounds and rebuilding its trusted core as it seeks to consolidate organisational strength before facing a resurgent opposition in 2026.
"This is both a message and a momentum move. It signals that the TMC wants to bring back its experienced hands and project unity before the next electoral battle," said a senior political analyst.
The comeback has already created a buzz in Chatterjee's former stronghold of Behala West, where posters featuring his photograph appeared soon after his administrative reappointment last month.
Party insiders said Chatterjee's move has revived speculations that he might be fielded from Behala West in 2026, a seat now represented by jailed former minister Partha Chatterjee, who remains embroiled in a recruitment scam case.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
