Former West Bengal Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker and veteran Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Asish Banerjee was found dead on Sunday morning at a party office adjacent to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district. His body, which was found hanging, was recovered by local police and sent for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death. Investigators also recovered a purported suicide note from the site as part of the ongoing probe.
Asish Banerjee had been a prominent political figure in Birbhum, having served as a five-time MLA representing the Rampurhat constituency. During Mamata Banerjee’s tenure as Chief Minister, he held key ministerial portfolios, including School Education and Agriculture, before being appointed as the Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. However, in the recent state assembly elections, he lost his long-held seat to BJP candidate Dhruba Saha.
Following the news of his death, a large crowd of local residents, supporters, and party workers gathered outside his residence in the Hattalapara neighborhood. The incident comes months after Banerjee stepped down as the chairman of Trinamool's Birbhum district core committee in June, though he continued to remain associated with the party as a general member. Senior police officials and local authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.