Kalyan Banerjee’s Resignation As TMC’s Lok Sabha Chief Whip Accepted, Party Appoints Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar For The Role

The resignation of senior Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee as the Chief Whip of the party in the Lok Sabha has been accepted, informed the TMC in an official statement.

Banerjee was thanked for his contributions as the Chief Whip of TMC.

In a post on X, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) stated, “Shri Kalyan Banerjee submitted his resignation yesterday to the Chairperson from the post of Chief Whip of the @AITCofficial Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha. The Chairperson has accepted his resignation and thanked him for his contributions in that role.”

The party announced that TMC leader Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has been appointed as the new Chief Whip. The party also announced that MP Satabdi Roy will be the new Deputy Leader of the AITC in the Lok Sabha.

“In consultation with senior parliamentarians, the Chairperson has nominated Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as the new Chief Whip of @AITCofficial in the Lok Sabha and Smt. Satabdi Roy as the new Deputy Leader of the AITC in the Lok Sabha with immediate effect,” the AITC wrote in its post.

“We extend our best wishes to both of them in their new roles and in their continued efforts to uphold Bengal’s pride, rights, and honour,” the party added.

Kalyan Banerjee resigned as TMC’s Chief Whip following a verbal confrontation with party MP Mahua Moitra.

In a post on X on Monday, Banerjee condemned Moitra’s recent remarks in a public podcast, where she allegedly compared him to a “pig,” stating that they violated the basic norms of civil discourse.

“Those who think invective can replace substance should take a hard look at the kind of politics they are practicing—and the hollowness it exposes,” Banerjee said.

“Labelling a male colleague as ‘sexually frustrated’ isn’t boldness—it’s outright abuse. If such language were directed at a woman, there would be nationwide outrage, and rightly so. But when a man is the target, it’s dismissed or even applauded. Let’s be clear: abuse is abuse—regardless of gender,” he stated.

Following the spat, Banerjee announced his resignation, stating, “I have resigned as the party’s Chief Whip in the 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.”