The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing one of its most serious internal crises following allegations that the signatures of several party MLAs were forged on official documents presented in the West Bengal Assembly. Dubbed “Signgate,” the controversy has led to the CID launching an investigation, the expulsion of two TMC MLAs, and the subsequent scrutiny of senior party leaders.
What is the matter?
The controversy concerns documents related to the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition and the party’s chief whip in the West Bengal Assembly after the 2026 assembly elections. There are allegations that the signatures of several TMC MLAs on the documents are either forged or were forged without their proper consent.
The controversy escalated when TMC MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha questioned the authenticity of signatures used in a letter supporting senior TMC leader Shovandeb Chattopadhyay for the post of Leader of the Opposition. Following their complaints, the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) launched a formal investigation.
The Assembly Secretary subsequently filed an FIR, and investigators began collecting statements and sample signatures from the MLAs involved in the disputed documents. CID officials have recorded statements from several TMC MLAs as part of the investigation.
Why cause embarrassment?
The issue is particularly serious because it has exposed signs of internal dissent within a party that has long been tightly controlled by its leadership. The scandal escalated when the TMC expelled MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, accusing them of anti-party activities. The expulsions came shortly after the MLAs publicly questioned the signatures, fueling speculation about growing fissures within the organization.
Senior TMC leader and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has also been summoned by the CID in connection with the investigation, bringing the controversy closer to the top leadership of the party.
The controversy, which emerged soon after the crushing election defeat, has now gone beyond a simple dispute over paperwork and has become a test of party discipline and the authority of the leadership.
Read more: Poster of the film ‘Kala Hiran’ released June 20th, story based on Salman-Lawrence controversy
Edited by: Bhoomi Goyal
