TMC names Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as Lok Sabha chief whip following Kalyan Banerjee’s resignation

The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has named Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as its new chief whip in the Lok Sabha, following the sudden resignation of Kalyan Banerjee. The party officially announced the changes on X, saying that, in consultation with senior leaders, Dr. Ghosh Dastidar has been appointed chief whip, while Satabdi Roy will take on the role of deputy leader in the Lok Sabha.

The TMC statement wished both leaders success and praised their commitment to representing Bengal’s pride and interests.

Kalyan Banerjee stepped down from the chief whip post on Monday after a virtual meeting of TMC MPs chaired by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee said he resigned because the party blamed him for a lack of coordination among its MPs.

“I quit as chief whip because ‘didi’ (Mamata Banerjee) said there was poor coordination among MPs, and I am being held responsible,” Banerjee told a news channel.

Reports suggest Banerjee was also hurt by the party’s silence after fellow MP Mahua Moitra insulted him. Banerjee reportedly expressed frustration over not being supported after Moitra’s comments and said he was even considering quitting politics.

Earlier, Moitra mocked Banerjee in a podcast, calling him a “pig” in response to Banerjee’s accusation that she was “anti-woman.”