After Assembly poll defeat, Snehasis Chakraborty says he will no longer engage in active politics

Former West Bengal minister Snehasis Chakraborty has announced that he is withdrawing from active politics following the 2026 Assembly election. Speaking at his residence in Kanaipur, Hooghly, on Thursday, Chakraborty said he would no longer participate in frontline political activities, although he intends to remain engaged through writing and political discussions.

Chakraborty contested the 2026 Assembly election from the Jangipara Assembly constituency as a candidate of the All India Trinamool Congress. He was defeated by the BJP candidate by a narrow margin. Following the election results, he remained largely absent from political programmes and meetings, including party events held in Kolkata.

Explaining his decision, Chakraborty said he no longer wished to continue in active politics, though he could remain associated with a political party as a supporter or ordinary worker. He stated that he has found it difficult to adapt to the present political environment and does not feel comfortable with the current nature of political discourse.

The former minister also spoke about party functioning and referred to Abhishek Banerjee’s role in the organisation. He said Banerjee had worked for the party but suggested that stronger communication with district-level leaders would have been beneficial. Chakraborty stated that many workers and leaders were unable to directly convey their views to Mamata Banerjee and argued that MLAs and MPs had limited opportunities to express independent opinions within the party.

Commenting on the broader political climate, Chakraborty said he was uncomfortable with a style of politics that involves personal attacks and harsh language against opponents. He stated that politics should focus on public welfare and development. Referring to the change in government, he acknowledged that voters had supported Suvendu Adhikari and his party, and said the new administration should be given an opportunity to govern and fulfil public expectations.