Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday reinstated Kalyan Banerjee as the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha, replacing Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. The move marks a return to one of the TMC's most combative and trusted faces as the party attempts to regroup after a bruising electoral setback.
The decision was announced at Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence during a meeting attended by all party MPs as the TMC leadership sought to steady nerves after an election that dented the party's aura of invincibility.
Within the party, the move was widely viewed as more than a routine reshuffle.
Abhishek Banerjee was retained as the party's leader in the Lok Sabha and Shatabdi Roy continued as deputy leader. The most significant organisational change came in the reinstatement of Kalyan Banerjee, who had stepped down as chief whip in August last year following a public spat with Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra.
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Why Kalyan Banerjee reinstated as whip?
In recent months, Kalyan Banerjee has emerged as one of the TMC's most visible political and legal faces, aggressively defending the party in courtrooms and public battles amid mounting political turbulence.
{{/usCountry}}In recent months, Kalyan Banerjee has emerged as one of the TMC's most visible political and legal faces, aggressively defending the party in courtrooms and public battles amid mounting political turbulence.
{{/usCountry}}Though the party did not officially spell out the reasons behind the move, several MPs privately acknowledged that his courtroom interventions and sharp political counter-attacks had strengthened his standing within the leadership.
"The leadership values those who stand up and fight in difficult times," a senior MP said after the meeting.
Party insiders also pointed to internal dynamics influencing the decision.
During the meeting, Mamata Banerjee reportedly praised Kalyan Banerjee's role and urged MPs to maintain regular contact with their constituencies and strengthen coordination with local leadership.
The discussions also reflected a leadership still unwilling to accept the electoral verdict at face value.
Taking ‘Bengal-related issues' to INDIA bloc
Addressing MPs, Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the TMC had not merely fought the BJP but "the entire nation's might" brought in by the saffron party to defeat it.
"We fought a tough election. We worked very hard on SIR. We did not fight only the BJP, but the entire machinery brought by BJP to defeat us," Abhishek said.
Abhishek Banerjee also alleged discrepancies between EVM figures and Form 17C data and said the party had sought CCTV footage from counting centres.
Sources said the leadership also discussed raising Bengal-related issues with opposition bloc INDIA partners at the national level.
Thursday's meeting appeared less like an exercise in introspection and more an effort to contain internal disquiet and rally the organisation after an electoral setback that has shaken the party's confidence, according to the PTI report.
Why Kalyan Banerjee resigned last year?
Kalyan Banerjee had announced his resignation following a virtual meeting of TMC MPs chaired by Mamata Banerjee.
"I have quit as the party's chief whip in Lok Sabha, as 'didi' (West Bengal CM 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 said.