'Power went to their heads, rapists and thieves took over': Sukhendu Sekhar Ray slams TMC after quitting party

KOLKATA: After resigning from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Sukhendu Sekhar Ray criticised the party and spoke on the RG Kar rape and murder incident, saying, “Power had gone to their (TMC) heads to such an extent that they believed no one in the world could touch them.”Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, reacting to the incident and broader governance issues, accused the ruling leadership of losing touch with the public and allowing corruption and criminal elements to thrive within the system.Speaking to the media, Ray said: “For the first time in Bengal’s history, a BJP government has come to power in West Bengal... Voter turnout hit an all-time record of 97 or 98 per cent... No analysis was conducted by the party regarding this. Those who held power over the last 15 years — ministers, panchayat leaders, councillors, mayors and so on — became inaccessible. It was difficult to even approach them. They had lost touch with the ground reality. Our party workers, who strengthened the organisation with their blood and sweat, those who fought against the Left Front for years, were sidelined. Instead, middlemen, thieves, dacoits and rapists came to the forefront. All of this is now coming to light and being shown on television. Who owns the biggest house in the village? The panchayat leader. It has a swimming pool, exotic birds and so on... Crores of rupees were looted. That is why I am making a demand now. I am a common citizen now, and I can demand that the new government investigate the purchases made by every hospital in Bengal over the last five years... A forensic audit should be conducted... Incidents of rape and murder have occurred frequently in our country. There is nothing more heinous than this in society... The impact of the RG Kar incident was not limited to just that place... As soon as the RG Kar incident occurred, the public poured onto the streets. People who had never in their lives joined a procession or a public meeting, and who had no connection to politics, even they, including doctors, stayed out on the streets all night long... At that time, the leaders and administrators did not engage in any deliberation or discussion about it. Power had gone to their heads to such an extent that they believed no one in the world could touch them. But the very people who sent them there have now brought them down... There should be an investigation into everyone’s assets. Investigate ministers, panchayat leaders, national leaders or international leaders. Investigate them all...”Ray’s resignation comes amid a widening internal rebellion in the Trinamool Congress, with reports suggesting a major split within its legislative wing in West Bengal.In his resignation letter, he accused the party of “15 years of anarchic rule” under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging corruption, governance failure, and deterioration in law and order, healthcare, education and employment.He also said voters had delivered a strong mandate against the party’s rule and welcomed the emergence of a BJP-led government, claiming it had begun work on development and reform.The crisis has prompted urgent political activity in Delhi, with senior leaders including Abhishek Banerjee and others working to contain further defections. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla may also be approached by rebel MPs seeking recognition of a separate bloc.Senior TMC leader Sougata Roy has blamed the BJP for attempting to engineer defections, while asserting that the party remains confident of managing the crisis.