Ex-deputy speaker Ashis Banerjee's death sparks political slugfest between TMC factions, BJP

The death of former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and veteran TMC leader Ashis Banerjee on Sunday, August 16. This triggered a political blame game, with the rival factions within the party and the BJP trading allegations over the circumstances surrounding the 74-year-old leader's death.

Banerjee, a five-time MLA and former minister, was found hanging at a party office near his residence at Rampurhat in Birbhum district on Sunday morning.

A purported suicide note was also recovered from the premises, in which he is learnt to have said that no one was responsible for his death and expressed regret over entering politics.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the letter.

The note, reportedly written on Banerjee's letterhead, has become central to the political controversy.

Police are examining the letter, including its handwriting, while leaders across the political spectrum have called for a probe into whether Banerjee faced threats, pressure or public humiliation before his death.

The tragedy has also exposed the deepening fault lines within the TMC, with both the Mamata Banerjee-led camp and the rebel faction headed by Ritabrata Banerjee seeking to distance themselves from responsibility while accusing the other side of contributing to the circumstances surrounding the veteran leader's death.

Ritabrata's camp blamed the alleged corruption and "organised loot" of the past 15 years for creating a backlash against even those TMC leaders who had remained personally clean, while the Mamata camp accused the
BJP and sections of the media of systematically vilifying Banerjee.

Ritabrata, who left for Rampurhat after learning about Banerjee's death along with other members of his faction, said the consequences of alleged corruption and "legal mistakes" committed by a handful of people in the TMC had been borne by many innocent party workers and leaders.

"For the last 15 years, organised loot and legal mistakes have taken place in the state. Though only a handful of people in the TMC were involved, innocent politicians had to bear the responsibility. They were insulted in their areas. None of us, as committed TMC workers, could remain outside its impact. Its terrible effect was felt by Ashisda," Ritabrata said in a video message.

He claimed Banerjee had repeatedly tried to tell the party leadership that "what was happening was not right", but his concerns were ignored by the "Kalighat" leadership.

Ritabrata also recalled Banerjee asking him to help regularise the services of attendants appointed during his tenure as deputy speaker.

"He was distressed and had regrets. Many of us knew about it," Ritabrata said.

The Mamata Banerjee camp hit back, with TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh saying Banerjee may have been unable to cope with the fear of social stigma and alleging that he had been subjected to humiliation.

"Even if it was suicide, it was the result of instigation," Ghosh claimed, demanding an impartial investigation and action against those responsible for allegedly provoking Banerjee.

Ghosh further alleged that Banerjee had been pressured into joining the Ritabrata-led rebel camp after the TMC's poor performance in the 2026 Assembly elections, claiming that the veteran leader had wanted to remain with the Mamata Banerjee-led party.

The rebel camp, however, has portrayed Banerjee's association with it as a consequence of his disillusionment with the functioning of the party and his concerns over corruption.

The competing claims have turned the death into a fresh flashpoint in the TMC's internal battle.

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, while mourning the veteran leader, trained his guns on the BJP and sections of the media.

He said Banerjee had devoted decades to public service with "honesty, dignity and simplicity" and was deeply respected in Rampurhat and Birbhum.

Referring to the purported suicide note, Abhishek said the pain caused by a sustained campaign of vilification against Banerjee could not be ignored and urged those involved to reflect on the human consequences of their words and actions.

"Political battles will come and go. But once a life is lost, it can never be brought back," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the purported handwritten note found on Banerjee's letterhead would be examined and its handwriting verified.

He said the police had been asked to stand by the bereaved family and that it should be investigated whether Banerjee had faced threats.

Adhikari also expressed apprehension that corrupt elements within the TMC might have threatened the veteran leader.

Senior BJP leader and Minister Agnimitra Paul questioned whether the death should immediately be described as suicide.

"It needs to be seen whether he actually died by suicide or was murdered. Just because a letter has been left behind does not mean it should immediately be called suicide," she said, calling for the circumstances surrounding the death to be thoroughly examined.

At the same time, Paul acknowledged that not every TMC leader was corrupt and said some politicians in the party had maintained their integrity and "stood straight" in public life.

BJP MLA Dhruv Saha, who defeated Banerjee in the 2026 Assembly election from Rampurhat, said he had met him only a few days ago and had noticed nothing to suggest that he was contemplating such a step.

He called for an investigation into whether there were family or political reasons behind the death and said another agency could examine the matter if necessary.

The veteran politician, who had taught for years before entering electoral politics, served as a five-term MLA, state minister and deputy speaker of the Assembly.

He was defeated in the 2026 Assembly election and had subsequently remained largely away from active politics.

The competing claims have now turned Banerjee's death into a wider political confrontation over the TMC's internal rupture, allegations of corruption and public vilification, even as the police investigation into the circumstances of his death and the authenticity of the purported suicide note continues.