A bitter internal rift has erupted within Trinamool Congress in North Kolkata, with a heated WhatsApp exchange between MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay and party councillors spilling into the public domain. The controversy intensified after allegations that the senior leader used a derogatory remark—triggering outrage and exposing deep fractures within the district unit just days after the election results.
The flashpoint was a late-night conversation in a party WhatsApp group, where Ward 10 councillor Subrata Bandyopadhyay directly questioned Sudip’s leadership. In a sharply worded message, he accused the North Kolkata MP and district president of failing to help displaced party workers return home in the aftermath of post-poll unrest. His remarks suggested that while grassroots workers were struggling, senior leadership remained inactive.
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The exchange quickly escalated when Sudip’s close associate, Sunanda Sarkar, countered the councillor, raising questions about the role of local MLAs. Subrata responded by pointing out that while leadership at other levels had changed, Sudip continued to hold both parliamentary and organisational authority in the district.
Soon after, Sudip Bandyopadhyay himself entered the conversation. In a message that has since gone viral, he appeared to invoke a Hindi proverb—interpreted by some as referring to dissenting voices as “dogs barking.” The phrasing drew immediate backlash within the group, with councillors accusing him of indirectly insulting party members.
Subrata Bandyopadhyay reacted strongly, writing that a leader who labels his own councillors in such terms forgets his own position. The tone of the exchange, now widely circulated on social media, has shocked many within the party and prompted criticism over the level of internal discord.
The controversy extends beyond the chat. Several councillors in North Kolkata have reportedly voiced dissatisfaction with both Sudip Bandyopadhyay and newly elected MLA Nayana Bandyopadhyay. Their primary grievance revolves around alleged inaction during post-election violence, with claims that party workers facing threats and displacement have received little support from senior leadership.
Some local leaders have alleged that repeated attempts to contact senior figures went unanswered, either due to switched-off phones or lack of response. There are also claims that instead of facilitating the return of affected workers, efforts were focused elsewhere, including informal outreach to opposition-linked individuals to ease tensions.
Adding to the discontent are unverified reports circulating within party circles that Sudip Bandyopadhyay may have travelled to Delhi with his spouse for undisclosed political discussions. While there is no confirmation of these claims, they have further fuelled speculation and resentment among grassroots workers.
With internal disagreements now out in the open, the episode has raised serious questions about cohesion within the party’s North Kolkata unit at a politically sensitive moment.
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