Kolkata, Jun 4 (PTI) Former Congress MLA Shankar Malakar joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday, dealing a blow to the grand old party in the northern part of West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Malakar, an influential figure among the Scheduled Caste community in north Bengal, formally joined the ruling party in the presence of senior TMC leaders Subrata Bakshi and Aroop Biswas.
“I have decided to join the TMC as this is the only party which is fighting against the BJP and its communal politics in Bengal,” Malakar, who was the legislator of Matigara-Naxalbari between 2011 and 2016, told reporters at the event.
His move is seen as a strategic win for the TMC, which has historically struggled to gain ground in north Bengal—a region that saw a saffron surge in the 2021 Assembly elections. Although the TMC swept most of the state that year, it failed to replicate its success in districts like Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri.
Malakar, who served as the Congress' district president of Darjeeling and was once considered one of the last remaining mass leaders in the region, had lost the 2021 election to the BJP. Despite the loss, his political weight as an organiser and his grassroots connections remain undisputed.
Explaining his departure from the grand old party, Malakar said, “The Congress today lacks direction and grassroots connect in Bengal. I felt it was time to align with a party that is actively resisting the BJP's divisive agenda.”
Claiming that the Congress' influence in the region has waned, he said, "As someone who has worked at the grassroots for decades, I could no longer ignore the growing discontent.”
Political observers view his switch as a calculated move by the TMC to bolster its organisational presence in north Bengal, particularly among the Scheduled Caste communities where Malakar holds sway.
“I will work closely with the leadership to strengthen the organisation in north Bengal,” Malakar added.
Malakar’s entry into the TMC comes on the heels of a jolt to the BJP last month when former Union minister and Alipurduars MP John Barla also joined the TMC.
Barla, who was once a vocal advocate for separate statehood for north Bengal, is expected to help the TMC expand its footprint among tea garden workers and Adivasi communities in the region.
Political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty said the TMC may use Malakar’s experience and deep community ties to regain lost ground in key northern districts.
His defection is also expected to cause ripples within the Congress camp in north Bengal.
Acknowledging the uphill battle ahead, Chakraborty said, “The TMC's growth in north Bengal has been slow, but with the right strategy and connection with the people, Malakar and Barla's induction can turn the tide.”