The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing one of its most serious internal crises after allegations of forging the signatures of several party legislators on official documents submitted to the West Bengal Assembly. The controversy, dubbed ‘Signgate’, led to a CID probe, led to the expulsion of two TMC MLAs, and put senior party leaders under scrutiny.
What is the forged signature scandal?
The dispute centers on documents submitted to the West Bengal Assembly regarding the appointment of the Leader of Opposition and Chief Whip of the party after the Assembly elections in 2026. Allegations have emerged that the signatures of several TMC legislators appearing on the documents are either forged or placed without their proper consent.
The controversy gained momentum after complaints were reportedly raised by TMC MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, who questioned the authenticity of signatures used in senior TMC leader Suvandeep Chattopadhyay’s endorsement letter for the post of Leader of Opposition. Their complaints prompted a formal investigation by the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Thereafter, the Assembly Secretary lodged an FIR, and investigators began collecting statements and sample signatures from the legislators whose names appeared in the disputed documents. CID officials have already recorded statements from several TMC MLAs as part of the investigation.
Why did the scandal become such a huge embarrassment for TMC?
The case is particularly devastating because it has exposed signs of internal dissent within a party that has long been tightly controlled by its leadership. The scandal escalated further when the TMC expelled MLAs Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, accusing them of anti-party activities. The expulsions came almost immediately after lawmakers publicly questioned the signatures, raising speculation about growing divisions within the organization.
Senior TMC leader and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has also been summoned by the CID in connection with the probe, bringing the controversy closer to the party high command.
With the election on the verge of a crushing election defeat, the dispute went beyond a simple dispute over paperwork and became a test of the party’s discipline and leadership authority.
It comes after a crushing defeat in the elections
The controversy over the forged signature erupted just weeks after the TMC suffered a major defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, ending the party’s 15-year rule in the state. The BJP achieved a decisive victory, the first time it has formed a government in West Bengal.
The election result was a severe blow to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, whose party has dominated Bangladeshi politics since 2011. After the defeat, the party faced criticism over governance issues, corruption allegations, organizational weaknesses, and post-election unrest.
Allegations of signature forgery have exacerbated concerns about factionalism and dissatisfaction within the ranks of the TMC. Reports of lawmakers’ absence from party meetings and public disagreements among leaders have heightened the perception of the party struggling to maintain its unity after losing power.
What will happen next?
The CID investigation is ongoing, with statements being collected from lawmakers and senior leaders. The investigation will seek to determine whether there were any forged signatures, who may be responsible, and whether criminal wrongdoing occurred during the preparation of the association’s documents.
However, for the TMC, the political damage may already be significant. Soon after the party’s electoral defeat, the scandal amplified questions about internal cohesion and control of the leadership, ensuring that the controversy remains one of the biggest challenges facing Mamata Banerjee’s party in its attempts to rebuild the opposition.
