‘We remained silent because...’: Kakoli Ghosh's son says Mamata's camp leader called her mother alcoholic

Rebel TMC leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's son accused a leader from Mamata Banerjee's TMC camp of calling his mother an "alcoholic".

"Sonali Guha, from Mamata Banerjee's camp, said my mother drinks heavily...," Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar, son of TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, told ANI in an interview on Sunday.

"We remained silent because we wanted to make a considered decision; we stayed quiet out of respect and a sense of dignity. But the situation has now reached a point where we have no choice but to speak up," Baidyanath Ghosh said.

He added, "Therefore, I consulted my lawyer, who drafted a legal notice—We will serve this notice on Monday or Tuesday to Mamata Banerjee, Mahua Moitra, Saugata Roy, Kalyan Banerjee, and Sonali Guha…”

Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar had sent a legal notice to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and several TMC leaders, including Mahua Moitra, Kalyan Banerjee, Sougata Roy and Sonali Guha, denying allegations that he had sought a party ticket from the Barasat Assembly Constituency.

Accusing Mamata Banerjee of targeting Kakoli Ghosh, Baidyanath Ghosh told ANI, "A few days ago, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shared a video message on Facebook. In it, she mentioned that an MP from her party has established contact with the BJP and is attempting to split the parliamentary party..."

"Although the Chief Minister did not explicitly name my mother or me, her statement made it clear she was referring to us, as my mother is the only MP who has been granted central security. The claim made by Mamata Banerjee—that my mother demanded a ticket or harboured expectations for one—is completely false, baseless, and a lie...," Baidyanath Ghosh said.

"We will send a legal notice to Mamata Banerjee and her MPs Mahua Moitra and Saugata Roy. We want the TMC chief and others to withdraw their remarks," TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's son, Dr Baidyanath, told PTI.

Baidyanath's remark came as the TMC is currently grappling with its most significant internal crisis in recent years, triggered by a crushing electoral defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

The party's stability is under severe pressure as a growing number of MPs and parliamentarians openly revolt against the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and the influence of the party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

In a post on X earlier, Baidyanath Ghosh said, "I categorically deny claims that I or my mother, Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, sought a Barasat Assembly ticket. I also deny statements allegedly made that my mother and I consume alcohol.

Baidyanath has demanded a public apology within 15 days, stating that any claim suggesting he sought a political nomination from Barasat is "false and defamatory."

In the legal notice, Baidyanath has sought a public clarification and apology within 15 days, asserting that he "neither sought nor desired any nomination for the Barasat Assembly Constituency" and had no political ambition in that regard.

"Under instructions from and on behalf of my client, Baidyanath Ghosh Dastidar, a distinguished psychiatrist and medical professional, I hereby issue the present legal notice," the notice read.