Kolkata, Jul 4 (PTI) Amid internal rumblings in the party, senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee on Monday resigned as the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha, alleging that he was being blamed unfairly for 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.
In an emotional outburst, the senior TMC leader said he was deeply hurt by the party's silence over "insults" hurled at him by a fellow MP, an apparent reference to Mahua Moitra, with whom he had frequent run-ins.
He said, "Didi says MPs are quarrelling… Should I tolerate those who abuse me? I informed the party leadership, but no action was taken. Instead, I am blamed. Let Didi run the party her way.
"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.
While Kalyan Banerjee claimed he resigned voluntarily, he reportedly told his close associates he was being made a scapegoat, especially after months of tension with Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra and earlier, with former cricketer and TMC MP Kirti Azad.
Just ahead of his resignation, Kalyan Banerjee, in a long post on X, accused Moitra of abusing him and having a deep disregard for basic norms of civil discourse.
"I have taken note of the recent personal remarks made by Ms. Mahua Moitra in a public podcast. Her choice of words, including the use of dehumanising language such as comparing a fellow MP to a 'pig', is not only unfortunate but reflects a deep disregard for basic norms of civil discourse," he said in the post.
"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 wrote.
Such remarks are not just indecent, but they reinforce a "toxic double standard" where men are expected to silently endure what would never be tolerated if roles were reversed, the four-time MP from Sreerampur said.
"If Ms. Moitra thinks that flinging gutter insults will mask her own failures or distract from serious questions about her record, she is deluding herself. Those who rely on abuse instead of answers are not champions of democracy - they are its embarrassment, and the people of this country can see through that act," Banjerjee said.
Banerjee, 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 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.
Party insiders said Mamata Banerjee was particularly upset over the lack of cohesion in the Lok Sabha contingent.
"Rajya Sabha work is going well, but Lok Sabha MPs are not functioning as a team. Sudip-da (Bandopadhyay) is unwell. Saugata Roy, too, has health issues. In their absence, floor coordination has collapsed," she was quoted as saying by a party leader.
Adding fuel to the fire, Kalyan Banerjee told a Bengali TV channel, "What will I do if the majority of MPs are regularly absent from Parliament? Does Mamata Banerjee know how the daily work of Parliament is going? If the party had not taken steps, what would I have done? I did maximum work, but I am not a scholar from Oxford or Cambridge. I do not wear expensive sarees. Those who criticise Mamata Banerjee get rewarded.
The TMC chief, without mentioning names, made it clear during the meeting that factional fights within the party’s parliamentary ranks were “unacceptable” and that public image matters.
Several MPs believe her rebuke was aimed directly at the Kalyan-Mahua feud that recently made headlines.
Sources said Banerjee's frequent run-ins with Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra 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.
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.