Kolkata: Senior Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee on Monday resigned as the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, alleging that he was being blamed unfairly for a lack of coordination among MPs, even as some barely attend Parliament.
The move came hours after a virtual meeting of TMC MPs chaired by party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, where she reportedly expressed her displeasure over poor coordination in the party’s parliamentary wing.
“I have quit as the party’s chief whip in Lok Sabha as ‘Didi’ (Mamata Banerjee) said during the virtual meeting that there is a lack of coordination among party MPs. So the blame is on me. Hence, I have decided to step down,” Banerjee told a news channel.
The four-time MP from Sreerampur, who is also a senior advocate, said he felt humiliated that the party was not holding those responsible for indiscipline and poor attendance to account, but instead making him the fall guy.
“Those whom Mamata Banerjee made MPs don’t even come to the Lok Sabha. TMC MPs from South Kolkata, Barrackpore, Bankura, North Kolkata, hardly anyone attends Parliament. What can I do? What is my fault? I am being blamed for everything,” Banerjee fumed.
Sources said Banerjee’s frequent run-ins with Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra and his earlier public spat with former cricketer and TMC MP Kirti Azad had caused considerable embarrassment to the party leadership.
The recent flare-up with Moitra, in particular, is believed to have hastened the leadership’s move to restructure the party’s floor strategy team.
In an emotional outburst, Banerjee said he was deeply hurt by the party’s silence over “insults” hurled at him by a fellow MP, an apparent reference to Moitra.
“Didi says Lok Sabha MPs are fighting and quarrelling… Should I tolerate those who abuse me? I informed the party, but instead of taking action against the person who insulted me, they are blaming me. Let Mamata Banerjee run the party the way she sees fit,” the veteran leader, who has been with the TMC chief since the late Nineties, said.
“I am so upset that I am even thinking of quitting politics altogether,” he added, voicing his disillusionment with the internal affairs of the party.
However, in a late-evening development, Banerjee said he received a call from TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who requested him to continue as chief whip for a few more days.
“Just a few minutes ago, Abhishek Banerjee called me and said I should continue for a few more days. He said he will meet me and speak with me on August 7,” Kalyan Banerjee said.
Monday’s virtual meeting was attended by TMC MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
According to party insiders, Mamata Banerjee made it clear that factional feuds among MPs were “unacceptable” and said the party must project unity in Parliament.
While she didn’t name anyone, many MPs believe her comments were directed at Mahua Moitra and Kalyan Banerjee, whose public spat had recently made headlines.
