A fresh controversy has emerged within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after psychiatrist Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar, the son of TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, initiated legal action against several senior leaders of the party. The move has added another layer of complexity to the growing internal tensions that have surfaced within the ruling party following recent political developments and public disagreements among its leaders.
Dr Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar has served a legal notice to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with senior TMC leaders Kalyan Banerjee, Sougata Roy, Mahua Moitra, and party leader Sonali Guha. Through the notice, he has demanded a public apology and retraction of statements that allegedly suggested he had sought a party nomination to contest from the Barasat Assembly constituency and that political disagreements involving his mother stemmed from those ambitions.
The legal notice also objects to personal allegations allegedly made against him and his family. According to Dastidar, these statements are false, defamatory, and have caused significant reputational harm. He has warned that if the recipients fail to respond appropriately within the stipulated period, he will proceed with formal defamation proceedings.
The dispute traces back to remarks made earlier this month by Mamata Banerjee during a press conference. Without directly naming anyone, she reportedly stated that certain individuals had approached her seeking an MLA ticket from Barasat but were denied by the party leadership. She also remarked that merely because one person in a family is already a Member of Parliament does not mean that every family member should become an MP or MLA. Although no names were mentioned, the comments were widely interpreted as a reference to the family of Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.
In the legal notice, filed through Advocate Pooja Shukla, Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar categorically denied ever expressing any desire to contest elections from Barasat or seeking a nomination from the constituency. He maintained that he had neither requested nor pursued a political ticket and rejected claims that political developments involving his mother were connected to any personal electoral ambitions.
The psychiatrist also strongly objected to remarks allegedly made by Sonali Guha, who reportedly claimed that he, his brother, and his mother regularly consumed alcohol. Dastidar described these allegations as entirely baseless, defamatory, and damaging to his personal and professional reputation.
The notice emphasises that he is a medical professional with an established academic and clinical career. It argues that public statements questioning his character or linking him to political manoeuvring have harmed his standing and credibility. According to the notice, the allegations have unfairly drawn him into political controversies despite his lack of involvement in electoral politics.
Interestingly, while denying any interest in contesting elections, the notice makes a counterclaim. It alleges that representatives associated with political consultancy activities repeatedly approached him and encouraged him to consider entering politics. According to the communication, individuals linked to I-PAC, the political consultancy firm engaged by the TMC during recent election campaigns, as well as local student leaders, contacted him several times and encouraged him to participate in political and public outreach activities in the Barasat region.
The legal notice demands that all recipients immediately stop making statements concerning him in political discussions, withdraw and retract the allegedly defamatory remarks, refrain from making future public references to him, and issue a public clarification and apology within fifteen days acknowledging that he never sought a political nomination from the Barasat constituency.
The development comes against the backdrop of increasing turbulence within the Trinamool Congress. Internal disagreements and public criticism have become more visible following the party's recent electoral setback and growing dissatisfaction among certain sections of its leadership.
At the centre of much of this unrest is Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar herself, a long-time associate of Mamata Banerjee and a veteran TMC parliamentarian. She recently resigned from important organisational responsibilities within the party, including her position as president of the Barasat parliamentary district unit.
Following her resignation, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar publicly voiced dissatisfaction with the party's functioning and leadership. She criticised internal decision-making processes and raised concerns regarding governance and allegations of corruption. Her remarks attracted significant attention because they represented one of the more direct expressions of dissent from a senior leader within the party.
The tensions escalated further when she suggested that a group of dissatisfied MPs wanted to distance themselves from the party's current direction. These comments fuelled speculation about growing divisions within the TMC and raised questions about unity within the organisation.
Against this backdrop, the legal action initiated by her son has intensified the ongoing political confrontation. What began as political disagreements and public criticism has now entered the legal arena, potentially creating another flashpoint within the party.
The next phase of the dispute will depend largely on how the recipients respond to the legal notice. If clarifications, retractions, or apologies are issued, the matter could be resolved without further escalation. However, if the demands are rejected or ignored, Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar has indicated that he is prepared to pursue defamation proceedings through the courts.
As political tensions continue to simmer within the Trinamool Congress, this legal battle has the potential to further expose divisions within the party and keep internal disputes in the public spotlight. Whether it remains a legal disagreement or evolves into a larger political confrontation may become one of the key developments in West Bengal politics in the coming weeks.
