Veteran Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee was found hanging inside a TMC party office in Rampurhat, Birbhum, on Sunday morning, sending shockwaves through the state’s political circles.
Police said his body was recovered from the office located near his residence and has been sent for post-mortem examination. A purported note was also recovered from the spot, though its contents and authenticity are yet to be independently verified.
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Banerjee was a prominent figure in the TMC’s Birbhum organisation and was regarded as being close to party supremo Mamata Banerjee. He served as Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly during Mamata Banerjee’s tenure as chief minister.
Who is Asish Banerjee?
Born in Rampurhat, Banerjee represented the constituency in the state Assembly for five consecutive terms. He first won the Rampurhat seat in 2001 and retained it in the 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections. His 25-year electoral run came to an end in the 2026 Assembly polls when he lost to BJP’s Dhruba Saha by more than 24,000 votes.
His long association with Rampurhat made him one of the most recognisable TMC leaders in Birbhum. His political career, however, extended beyond the Assembly.
From teacher to minister
Before entering electoral politics, Banerjee worked as an associate professor at Rampurhat College. He had completed his higher education at Burdwan University and held a PhD. His political journey had roots in his student years.
After joining the TMC’s government, Banerjee was given ministerial responsibilities. He served as Minister of State with independent charge of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy in 2014. He subsequently handled Biotechnology, Statistics and Programme Implementation portfolios.
In 2017, he became West Bengal’s Agriculture Minister, a position he held until 2021.
In July 2021, Banerjee was appointed Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, placing him among the senior constitutional functionaries of the state. He held the post until May 2026.
Political setback before death
Banerjee’s final months in active politics came against the backdrop of a major electoral setback for the TMC in Birbhum. He lost the Rampurhat election in 2026, ending his quarter-century run as an MLA. The BJP’s Dhruba Saha defeated him by 24,233 votes.
#WATCH | West Bengal | Former Deputy Speaker and TMC former MLA from Rampurhat, Asish Bandyopadhyay, was found dead by hanging himself in his party office.
— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2026
Visuals from Rampurhat Medical College in Birbhum pic.twitter.com/d1aYUsFOhs
In June, Banerjee resigned as the TMC’s Birbhum district chairman and chairman of the party’s district core committee. At the time, he said he would continue as an ordinary member of the party. Reports also said he had expressed dissatisfaction over the functioning of the district organisation during the Assembly election.
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His death therefore comes after a period of considerable political upheaval in his home district. However, police have not yet established the circumstances surrounding his death, and no conclusion should be drawn from the political developments preceding it.
The recovery of the purported note has added another dimension to the investigation. Police are examining the circumstances of the death and the contents of the note, while the post-mortem examination is expected to provide further clarity.