A day after ending his 15-year parliamentary association with the Trinamool Congress, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said public discontent and repeated controversies weighed heavily on his decision.
Former TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray addresses the House. Ray has resigned from the Trinamool Congress and the Rajya Sabha, saying a series of incidents, including the RG Kar case, influenced his decision. (Photo: ANI)
Former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray has defended his decision to quit the party and the Upper House, saying a series of incidents over the years, culminating in the RG Kar hospital case, convinced him that he could no longer remain associated with the Mamata Banerjee-led outfit in West Bengal.
The veteran politician’s resignation comes at a time when the Trinamool Congress is facing internal turbulence and growing speculation about dissent within its ranks. Ray, who represented the party in the Rajya Sabha for nearly 15 years, said his departure was driven entirely by his conscience and not by any external influence.
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Speaking to ANI a day after stepping down from both the Rajya Sabha and the party, Ray said he now viewed political developments as an ordinary citizen and felt the time had come to sever ties with the organisation.
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“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 took this decision on my own. I was not coerced, manipulated or influenced by anyone. I felt that enough is enough,” he said.
Ray said thoughts of leaving the party had been weighing on him for some time, despite the opportunities he received during his long parliamentary career.
He said he remained grateful to the party leadership for giving him the chance to serve in the Rajya Sabha and on several parliamentary committees. However, he added that repeated controversies and allegations involving governance and corruption increasingly troubled him.
Referring to incidents that drew widespread public attention in West Bengal, Ray cited the Park Street rape case, the Kamduni rape case and the RG Kar hospital incident among the developments that shaped his decision.
He also referred to allegations of corruption in the education and health sectors and claimed that such issues had damaged public trust.
According to Ray, the RG Kar case marked a decisive moment in his thinking.
Calling it a “turning point”, he said public anger had intensified and that even people who previously supported the party had begun expressing their dissatisfaction openly.
Ray further claimed that relatives and friends had repeatedly questioned why he continued to remain with a party whose actions he had criticised publicly. He said he had been waiting for what he considered the appropriate moment to leave.
Responding to criticism from within the party, Ray declined to engage in a war of words.
When asked about TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee allegedly calling him a traitor, Ray said he did not know the context of the remark and did not wish to comment on it.
He also brushed aside references by party colleague Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar to “rebel leaders”, saying his association with the Trinamool Congress had formally ended with his resignation.
Ray additionally alleged that the party leadership had become increasingly disconnected from grassroots workers and public sentiment. He claimed that long-time workers had been sidelined while undesirable elements gained influence within the organisation.
Ray’s exit comes weeks after TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar resigned as president of the All India Trinamool Mahila Congress, citing concerns over alleged misogynistic behaviour within the party and issues that she said troubled her conscience.
The resignation has also coincided with speculation over divisions within the Trinamool Congress following recent political developments in West Bengal.
Expelled TMC MLA Ritabrata Banerjee has emerged as a prominent critic of the party leadership after forming a separate faction in the state Assembly with the support of several legislators. The group has publicly questioned the leadership of Abhishek Banerjee and blamed him for the party’s recent electoral setbacks.
Ray insisted that the decision was entirely his own, saying it was shaped by what he had witnessed over the years.
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