Addressing her supporters through a video message, Mamata Banerjee said the TMC would not try to stop those looking to exit the party. She claimed that some leaders were being pressured by the BJP through central agencies to leave the organisation.
Published: July 16, 2026, 7:51 PM IST
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Mamata Banerjee released a video message following Koel Mallick’s resignation. Image Credit: Screengrab/@AITCofficial/X
Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee urged leaders who want to leave her party to do so as soon as possible. She further added that she can understand many leaders are being pressurised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) using the central forces. Her reaction came just hours after Rajya Sabha member Koel Mallick resigned from her membership.
Addressing TMC workers through a video message, Mamata Banerjee reacted to an MP’s switch to the BJP, saying she respected the leader’s acting career but urged those facing alleged pressure from the BJP or investigating agencies to leave the party if they wished. She said the TMC was not dependent on anyone and stood by the Constitution.
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‘Those who want to leave…’: Mamata Banerjee
The TMC supremo said, “I saw one MP. I respect her. She had informed earlier through email. Today she met a BJP leader. Those who are under pressure, please take whatsoever decision and go wherever you want to before July 21, Shaheed Diwas. Our constitution gives us the right to do what we want.” She further said, “Those who are leaving us are also in touch with us.”
Important message for our party workers, supporters, and the people of Bengal from our Hon’ble Chairperson, @MamataOfficial pic.twitter.com/wC1T4fUuhS
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) July 16, 2026
Further, Mamata urged the administration to be ‘neutral’ as the TMC gears up to hold a rally on ‘Shaheed Diwas’ to commemorate the 13 Youth Congress workers who were killed in police firing during a protest under the Left Front regime in 1993. She is expected to flag the alleged murder of TMC workers in post-poll violence in the state.
“Our workers have been killed. They can’t protest. We will peacefully conduct the July 21 program as per the Court’s direction. I will ask the administration to stay neutral. Remember, if there are tremors in Delhi, then Bengal will also be impacted,” she said.
Koel Mallick resigns from TMC
In most recent turnover from her party, actor-turned-politician Rukmini Mallick, aka Koel Mallick, left TMC on Thursday. As per sources, Mallick met Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan and submitted her resignation. Earlier in the Upper House, three prominent former MPs, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik, had jumped ships and defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). They also received the Rajya Sabha bypoll tickets from the BJP as the seats fell vacant.
On Wednesday, the Mamata Banerjee camp suffered a major blow after the former CM’s close aide Madan Mitra joined the rebel faction led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee. Amid setbacks, Mamata has maintained that she can “restart” the party if needed, as she did in 2006.
With inputs from ANI
