Our Correspondents / Kolkata
Former West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker and veteran Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Ashis Banerjee was found hanging at a TMC party office in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning, police sources said. A purported suicide note was also reportedly recovered from the office, located near his residence.
Police reached the spot after the incident was reported and sent Banerjee’s body for post-mortem examination. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation, and authorities are examining the purported note and other evidence to establish what led to the incident.
Banerjee was a five-time MLA from Rampurhat and represented the constituency continuously from 2001 until his defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections. During his political career, he served as Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly and also held ministerial portfolios, including school education and agriculture, in the Mamata Banerjee government.
In the 2026 Assembly elections, Banerjee contested from Rampurhat on a TMC ticket but was defeated by BJP candidate Dhruba Saha by 24,233 votes. Saha secured 1,11,920 votes, while Banerjee polled 87,687.
The electoral defeat came amid a major political shift in West Bengal, with the BJP displacing the TMC from power in the 2026 Assembly elections after the latter’s prolonged rule.
CM Suvendu Adhikari Seeks Probe Into Possible Threat Angle
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the circumstances surrounding Banerjee’s death should be thoroughly investigated, including whether he had allegedly faced threats before his death.
Adhikari said the purported suicide note, reportedly written on Banerjee’s letterhead and recovered from the party office, would be examined as part of the investigation. A BJP MLA has also called for a probe into the circumstances surrounding the death. The police investigation and post-mortem examination are expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances of the death.
Mamata Banerjee Expresses Grief
Former West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee expressed deep grief over the death of her party colleague.
In a post on X, she said Banerjee’s death had left her “deeply disturbed” and described him as a person who had devoted much of his life to teaching and public service.
Mamata also referred to what she described as the “immense mental and emotional strain” Banerjee appeared to have endured in his final days, saying this made the tragedy even more painful. She remembered him for his humble nature and close relationship with people in Rampurhat and Birbhum.
The death has sent shockwaves through West Bengal’s political circles and comes against the backdrop of the TMC’s electoral setback, organisational changes within the party and heightened political tensions in the state.
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Banerjee’s death. The purported note and post-mortem findings are expected to be important in establishing the sequence of events and whether any external factors contributed to the tragedy.