Trinamool suffers from violent infighting after candidates' announcement; several loyalists angry for being "sidelined"

The announcement of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate list has triggered a wave of internal rebellion across West Bengal, particularly in East Burdwan and North Bengal. Long-standing party loyalists and senior leaders have expressed deep resentment over being sidelined in favor of newcomers or rival factions. In Khandaghosh, the nomination of Nabina Bag sparked a massive protest, with block and zonal presidents threatening mass resignations. These veterans, many of whom have faced imprisonment and personal sacrifice for the party, feel their decades of service have been overlooked, leading to a vow to abstain from election campaigning unless the candidate is replaced.

The discord turned violent in the Manteswar constituency, where the renomination of Siddiqullah Chowdhury led to a bloody confrontation in Dignagar village. Supporters of Chowdhury clashed with those of Ahmed Hossain, the local Panchayat Samiti President. Reports of crude bombs being hurled forced both local police and central forces to intervene, eventually resorting to a baton charge to disperse the warring factions. This physical manifestation of the party’s internal divide has left at least one person injured and created an atmosphere of fear and instability just as the official campaign kicks off.

In North Bengal's Rajganj, the bitterness took a more personal tone as veteran MLA Khageshwar Roy resigned from his party posts. Roy, a founding member of the TMC since 1998, was dropped in favor of Asian Games gold medallist Swapna Barman, who joined the party only last month. An emotional Roy alleged that "money power" had influenced the decision, lamenting that a political novice was chosen over a grassroots worker who had stood by Mamata Banerjee since the party's inception. His departure marks a significant blow to the party’s organizational foundation in the Rajganj belt.