TMC appoints Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as Lok Sabha chief whip after Kalyan Banerjee's abrupt resignation

Actress-politician Satabdi Roy has been picked as the deputy of Abhishek Banerjee, who was on Monday announced by party chief Mamata Banerjee as the Lok Sabha floor leader.

The TMC posted on X, "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 thank him for his contributions in that role. In consultation with senior parliamentarians, the Chairperson has nominated Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as the new Chief Whip of the @AITCofficial in the Lok Sabha and Smt. Satabdi Roy as the new Deputy Leader of the AITC in the Lok Sabha with immediate effect."

Kalyan on Monday hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the former was held responsible for the "lack of coordination" in the Lok Sabha.

Kalyan said his resignation stemmed from Mamata's "lack of coordination" blame. 

Kalyan also spoke against the party supremo over inaction against firebrand parliamentarian Mahua Moitra, who called him "pig" and "sexually frustrated" in a recent podcast.

"I have resigned because Didi claimed there was a lack of coordination in Lok Sabha. Sudip Bandyopadhyay is absent from the House for a long time, Kakoli sometimes visits, am I the only one to take all responsibilities? So it's fitting for me to step down if I have failed to fulfill my duties," Kalyan told ABP Ananda.

"Didi said I have been quarreling. Will I have to tolerate it if someone abuses me? I had informed the party which blamed me instead of taking steps against Mahua Moitra," he added.

"Didi claimed she was not consulted before finalising the list of speakers in the Lok Sabha. But it's untrue. Of course Didi was consulted. I can't accept anything wrong even if I have to quit politics," the controversial Serampore MP said.

Though he had publicly snubbed Abhishek's prominence in the party earlier, Kalyan on Monday said he had nothing personal against the young parliamentarian, who is the de facto number two person in the ruling party of West Bengal.

"I have nothing against Abhishek Banerjee. I have no difference of opinion with him. We share a good relationship. He is competent enough," Kalyan told the broadcaster.