TMC suspends ex-MP Santanu Sen, ex-MLA Arabul Islam over internal discord

The ruling TMC on Friday suspended its former Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen and ex-MLA Arabul Islam for alleged "anti-party activities", the party's vice-president Jayprakash Majumdar said.

The action comes as the party continues to grapple with internal discord.

Sen, a doctor by profession and seen as a loyalist of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, had criticised the police for its investigation into the rape and murder of the medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

His vocal stand on the issue created a furore within the party, especially given his close ties to the young leader.

He could not be reached for comment.

Islam, on the other side, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons over the years. A leader from Bhangore on the outskirts of Kolkata, his tiff with party MLA Saukat Mollah has often resulted in embarrassment for the top leadership.

The suspensions signal the TMC leadership's effort to restore discipline within the ranks in the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee formed several disciplinary committees in November and warned party leaders of going against the party line on different issues.