Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigns from TMC, says 'inner conscience' guided

Former TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray quit the party and his Rajya Sabha seat, citing his 'inner conscience.' He slammed the party over major governance failures, scandals, and widespread corruption, calling the RG Kar incident the 'turning point'.

Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on his former party after resigning from the Upper House and giving up primary membership of TMC, saying his decision was guided by "inner conscience" and a series of incidents that convinced him he could no longer continue.Speaking to ANI, Ray said he was now looking at developments from the perspective of a "common citizen". "As a common citizen, I feel that the new government is moving forward vigorously with its declared agenda," he said.On being called a "traitor" by TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, he said, "I don't know whom he called a traitor and why. I don't want to comment on this."When asked about being listed among "rebel leaders" by party colleague Kakoli Ghosh, Ray said, "I can explain why I left. I have never been a member of the Lok Sabha, nor am I one now. I am also no longer a member of the Rajya Sabha. My story with the party ended yesterday when I resigned from both the TMC and the Rajya Sabha." He added that he had already issued a detailed explanation. "It would be better to ask Kakoli, Shatabdi, or other Lok Sabha members about matters concerning the Lok Sabha."

Decision Guided by 'Inner Conscience'

Explaining his decision, Ray said it was personal and not influenced externally. "My decision was not due to anyone's pressure or request; it was guided by my inner conscience. As the son of a freedom fighter, I made this decision entirely on my own. I was not coerced, manipulated, or influenced by anyone. I felt that enough is enough."He said the idea of leaving the party had been building for some time. "The thought of leaving the party had been on my mind for a while. I served on three or four committees and was an MP for 15 years," he said, adding that he was grateful to the party leadership for giving him the opportunity to serve in the Rajya Sabha.

Governance Failures and Corruption Cited as Reasons

However, Ray alleged a series of major governance failures and scandals as reasons for his exit. "After a series of heinous incidents, from the Park Street rape to the Kamduni rape case and ultimately the RG Kar incident... and before that, the corruption in the education and health departments... all these things have been happening, and people are observing them," he said.He further alleged widespread corruption, claiming that "cash was found stacked up to the ceilings at the home of a minister's associate," adding that the public had seen such incidents through media coverage. "My relatives and friends pressured me to leave, asking why I remained with those I called 'thieves' and 'became a partner in their sins'," he said. He stated that "he was waiting for the right moment to make his move."Calling the RG Kar incident the "turning point," Ray said public anger had grown significantly. "Even those who previously voted for the party are now protesting on the streets. If the TMC continues its current path, it will be removed by the same public that ousted the Left Front after its 34-year rule," he said.

TMC Leadership 'Disconnected' from Grassroots

Ray added that under these circumstances, he felt compelled to resign from both the party and his position in the Rajya Sabha.Ray's resignation came amid growing internal churn in the TMC. He alleged that the leadership had become disconnected from grassroots workers and public concerns, saying, "Power had gone to their heads to such an extent that they believed no one in the world could touch them." He also claimed that long-time party workers were sidelined while "middlemen, thieves, dacoits, and rapists came to the forefront."

Growing Internal Churn in TMC

Earlier on May 28, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar also resigned from the post of president of the All India Trinamool Mahila Congress, citing concerns over alleged "misogynistic behaviour" within the party and a series of issues that she said had deeply troubled her conscience.This comes amidst the ongoing speculations of a split of 20 Lok Sabha MPs from TMC, following the recent rebellion led by expelled party MLA Ritabrata Banerjee in the West Bengal assembly.Banerjee, who was expelled due to anti-party activities from the TMC, formed a separate faction in the West Bengal assembly with the support of 58 MLAs, and was later elected as Leader of Opposition, replacing Sobhandev Chattopadhyay. The Ritabrata Banerjee faction has been openly criticising the leadership of Abhishek Banerjee, holding him responsible for the party's debacle in recent State Assembly polls. (ANI)(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)