Ex W Bengal deputy speaker Asish Banerjee found dead at Trinamool office

KOLKATA, Aug 16: Asish Banerjee, a former deputy speaker of the West Bengal assembly and a five-time MLA from Rampurhat, has been found dead at a Trinamool Congress office next to his home in Birbhum district, NDTV reports.

Police said his body was found hanging on Sunday morning and has been sent for postmortem.

A large crowd gathered outside the party office after news of his death spread.

Banerjee served as deputy speaker while Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was West Bengal chief minister.

He also served as the state's education and agriculture minister after Mamata first came to power.

Banerjee lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat.

He lost the state election earlier this year to BJP's Dhruba Saha.

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress's Birbhum district core committee in June, although he said he would remain a general member of the party.

The BJP won six of Birbhum's 11 constituencies in the latest election. In 2021, the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district, while the BJP won one.

Z News adds, West Bengal Chief Minister SuvenduAdhikari has raised a possible blackmail angle in the death of former minister and Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee, saying political pressure may have played a role. His remarks have triggered a fresh clash with the Trinamool Congress, which has blamed the BJP and media for Banerjee's death, as calls grow for a full investigation.

Adhikari said Banerjee may have faced pressure or threats from people within the Trinamool Congress. He said the former leader had taken a stand against alleged injustice and corruption in the party after the Assembly elections earlier this year.

"Asish Banerjee stood against injustice and corruption within his own party after the Assembly elections earlier this year. He distances himself from the former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He also resigned from the committee that the former Chief Minister had formed. It is possible that the corrupt people within Trinamool Congress might have intimidated him. Someone might have blackmailed him. I had an extremely cordial relationship with him despite political differences. There will be a proper investigation into the incident. His suicide note and mobile phone will be examined," Chief Minister Adhikari said.

Adhikari also said investigators should establish whether Banerjee was threatened before his death. He said he had instructed the police and the District Magistrate to ensure that the autopsy was conducted properly.�"AGENCIES