Mamata Banerjee paid tribute to the late TMC MLA, describing him as someone who devoted his life to teaching and public serviceShe alleged that he had been unfairly targeted, maligned and harassed in recent days.
Published: August 16, 2026, 7:35 PM IST
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Mamata Banerjee condoled the demise of Ashish BanerjeeANI
Trinamool Congress chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said she was deeply saddened by the passing of former Deputy Speaker and party MLA Asish BanerjeeFormer Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at his party office, with police officials quoted by ANI saying he was found hanging.
“A suicide note has been found, in which the deceased mentioned that ‘no one is responsible for my death’,” a police official saidHis body is being taken to Rampurhat Medical College for post-mortem.
Read more:
Former deputy speaker of Bengal Assembly, Asish Banerjee, found hanging at TMC office in Birbhum
In a post on X, Mamata Banerjee said Asish Banerjee devoted much of his life to teaching and serving societyShe described him as a humble person who shared a close bond with the people of Rampurhat and Birbhum.
The passing of Asish Banerjee has left me deeply disturbed.
He spent much of his life teaching and serving society with dedication, always known for his humble nature and close bond with the people of Rampurhat and Birbhum.
What makes this tragedy even more painful is the…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 16, 2026
“What makes this tragedy even more painful is the immense mental and emotional strain he appears to have endured in his final daysAs a five-term MLA, former Deputy Speaker and Chairman, Asish Da dedicated himself to bringing development to Rampurhat and undertook a large number of important works for the peopleYet, despite the work he did, he was repeatedly maligned, falsely accused, and subjected to relentless pressure.”
“The harassment and mental pressure he faced, despite his long record of public service, should make all of us pause and reflect on the human cost of relentless political hostilityMy heartfelt prayers and condolences to his family, loved ones, former students and countless admirersHis absence will be deeply felt, always,” the former West Bengal CM’s tweet read.
She said Asish Banerjee spent his life serving others through teaching and public service, and his passing would leave a lasting void.
Ashish Banerjee attended I-Day celebrations
A day before his death, Asish Banerjee had attended an Independence Day celebration at the party office where his body was later foundPolice also recovered a suicide note from the spotIn the note, originally written in Bengali, Banerjee maintained that he was innocent of the allegations of wrongdoing linked to the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA), where he had previously served as chairperson.
Responding to allegations of discrepancies in tender processes, cheque issuance, plan approvals and NOCs, Banerjee said he had never been involved in any of those decisionsHe also claimed that attempts were underway to defame him.
Also Read | Former deputy speaker of Bengal Assembly, Asish Banerjee, found hanging at TMC office in Birbhum
Banerjee reportedly wrote in the letter that entering politics had been a mistakeHis political journey, however, was marked by considerable successHe won the Rampurhat Assembly seat for the first time in 2001, defeating Forward Bloc leader Mahammad HannanAt the time, Rampurhat was regarded as a Left bastionBanerjee went on to retain the seat for four consecutive terms.
His long run of electoral victories ended in the 2026 Bengal Assembly polls, with BJP candidate Dhruba Saha defeating Banerjee by around 24,000 votesAfter the loss, Banerjee largely stayed away from party activities.
Abhijeet Banerjee on Ashish Banerjee’s suicide
Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday expressed profound grief over the death of former MLA and former Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly (WBLA), Ashish Banerjee, while raising severe concerns over the circumstances leading to his tragic death.
Addressing the contents of Ashish Banerjee’s final note, Abhishek Banerjee highlighted the toll taken by an unyielding campaign of defamation, pointing fingers directly at political opponents and media reportingAbhishek Banerjee emphasised that the final note raises troubling questions about a “sustained smear campaign,” blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and sections of the media to reflect on the real-world impact of relentless public allegations.
