“We Were Never Heard”: Satabdi Roy Opens Up on Why She Left Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool
A major political storm has hit West Bengal as senior Trinamool Congress leader and four-time MP Satabdi Roy publicly explained why she decided to break away from the party she had supported for nearly two decades.
Speaking to NDTV, Roy said her decision was not driven by personal ambition but by growing frustration over what she described as a lack of communication and access within the party leadership. According to her, the Trinamool Congress had changed significantly over the years, and many leaders felt their voices were no longer being heard.
“Didi has changed,” Roy said, referring to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. While acknowledging her long-standing emotional bond with Banerjee, Roy stressed that her priority remains serving the people of her constituency.
Roy is among a group of Trinamool MPs who have now openly rebelled against the party and expressed support for the BJP-led NDA. She was recently chosen as the deputy leader of the rebel faction, which claims that nearly 20 MPs are backing the move.
One of the biggest concerns raised by Roy was that only a select few leaders had direct access to the party’s top leadership. She alleged that many elected representatives, including MPs, were sidelined from important decisions and often ignored when they tried to raise concerns.
“I am leaving because our voices were unheard,” she said. “I wanted to work for the people, but nobody listened to us.”
Sources within the rebel camp echoed similar complaints, claiming that even ministers in the state government often ignored requests from MPs and that consultation within the party had steadily declined over the years.
Responding to criticism over why these concerns were not raised earlier, Roy said the situation had become clearer with time. She added that her decision was ultimately guided by the interests of the people she represents rather than political calculations.
The veteran actor-turned-politician also voiced serious concerns about corruption within the Trinamool Congress. She alleged that corruption had spread across multiple levels of the organization and expressed disappointment over what she had witnessed during her years in the party.
Roy maintained that she had always kept a clean public image and did not need political protection to defend her reputation.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Shekhar Ray, who also resigned from the party, backed the rebels’ claims. He said many leaders felt neglected and unimportant within the organization, alleging that their opinions were routinely ignored.
The developments mark one of the most significant internal challenges faced by the Trinamool Congress in recent years, raising fresh questions about leadership, internal democracy, and the party’s future political direction.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
