Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday reinstated Kalyan Banerjee as party president in the Lok Sabha, replacing Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. The move marks a return to one of the most combative and confident faces of the TMC as the party tries to regroup after a painful electoral setback.
The decision was announced at Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat during a meeting attended by all party MPs as the TMC leadership sought to calm nerves after the elections affected the party’s invincible aura.
Within the party, the move was widely seen as little more than a routine cabinet reshuffle.
Abhishek Banerjee was retained as the party’s leader in Lok Sabha and Shatabdi Roy continued as deputy leader.
The most significant organizational change came in the reinstatement of Kalyan Banerjee, who resigned as party president in August last year after a public disagreement with Krishnagar MP Mahua Moitra.
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Why was Kalyan Banerjee reinstated as whip?
In recent months, Kalyan Banerjee has emerged as one of the TMC’s most visible political and legal faces, staunchly defending the party in courtrooms and public battles amid mounting political unrest.
Although the party has not officially explained the reasons behind the move, several MPs privately admitted that his courtroom interventions and sharp political counterattacks strengthened his standing within the leadership.
“The leadership appreciates 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 lauded the role of Kalyan Banerjee and urged the MPs to maintain regular contact with their constituencies and strengthen coordination with the local leadership.
The discussions also reflected a leadership that remains unwilling to accept the electoral ruling at face value.
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Transferring ‘issues relating to Bengal’ to the India bloc
Addressing the MPs, Abhishek Banerjee claimed that the TMC not only fought the BJP but also the “entire strength of the nation” that the saffron party brought in to defeat it.
“We had a tough election. We worked hard for SIR. We fought not just the BJP, but the entire machine that the BJP brought in to defeat us,” Abhishek said.
Abhishek Banerjee also alleged discrepancies between the EVM numbers and Form 17C data and said the party had sought CCTV footage from counting centres.
The leadership also discussed raising Bengal-related issues with the opposition India bloc partners at the national level, sources said.
Thursday’s meeting seemed less like an exercise in reflection and more like an attempt to contain internal anxiety and rally the organization after the electoral setback that shook the party’s confidence, according to the agency’s report.
Why did Kalyan Banerjee resign last year?
Kalyan Banerjee announced his resignation after a virtual meeting of TMC MPs chaired by Mamata Banerjee.
“I have resigned from my post as party chief in Lok Sabha. Didi (West Bengal chief Mamata Banerjee) said during the virtual meeting that there is a lack of coordination among party MPs. So the blame lies on me. Hence, I have decided to resign,” Banerjee said.
