Kalyan Banerjee reinstated as TMC Lok Sabha chief whip by Mamata
Synopsis
Less than nine months after accepting his resignation, Mamata Banerjee has restored Kalyan Banerjee as TMC's Lok Sabha chief whip — crediting his Supreme Court advocacy on the SIR issue. The quiet reversal, with no official explanation from the party, signals a reshuffling of internal equations within the TMC parliamentary group following the party's West Bengal Assembly poll defeat.
Key Takeaways
Mamata Banerjee reinstated Kalyan Banerjee as TMC Lok Sabha Chief Whip on 14 May 2025 , at a meeting in Kalighat, Kolkata .
Kalyan Banerjee had resigned from the same post in August 2025 , just nine months earlier, amid a public feud with Mahua Moitra .
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar , four-time MP from Barasat , had held the chief whip role in the interim.
Mamata Banerjee cited Kalyan Banerjee's legal work on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) cases before the Supreme Court as a key reason for the reinstatement.
TMC MPs were directed to intensify public outreach following the party's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly polls .
Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, 14 May reinstated Kalyan Banerjee as the Chief Whip of the Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha. The decision was announced at a meeting of TMC's parliamentary members held at Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat, Kolkata, less than nine months after Kalyan Banerjee had stepped down from the very same post.
The Reinstatement Decision
Mamata Banerjee chaired a joint meeting of TMC's Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs on Thursday, during which she formally declared Kalyan Banerjee's return to the chief whip's role. Kalyan Banerjee, a four-time Lok Sabha member from the Sreerampur constituency in Hooghly district and a senior advocate, had originally resigned from the position in August 2025. Mamata Banerjee had promptly accepted that resignation at the time.
The party MPs present at the meeting remained tight-lipped on the reasons behind the reversal, according to reports. No official explanation was offered by the TMC leadership.
What Changed in Nine Months
When Kalyan Banerjee resigned in August 2025, his departure came amid a widely reported public feud with fellow TMC Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra, who represents the Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district. At the same time, Mamata Banerjee had also replaced veteran party leader Sudip Banerjee as the TMC Parliamentary Party leader in the Lok Sabha with her nephew and the party's General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee.
Following Kalyan Banerjee's exit, four-time TMC Lok Sabha member Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar from the Barasat constituency in North 24 Parganas district was named chief whip. She has now been replaced by Kalyan Banerjee's return.
Why Mamata Praised Kalyan Banerjee
At Thursday's meeting, Mamata Banerjee reportedly heaped praise on Kalyan Banerjee for his legal work as an advocate in handling cases related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal before the Supreme Court. His courtroom role appears to have been a significant factor in the decision to restore him to the chief whip's position.
Mamata's Message to MPs After Assembly Poll Defeat
The meeting also addressed the Trinamool Congress's recent defeat in the West Bengal Assembly polls. Mamata Banerjee directed party MPs not to be disheartened by the electoral setback and instead focus on intensifying public outreach in their respective constituencies. The instruction signals a recalibration ahead of future electoral cycles, with the party leadership pushing for grassroots consolidation.
Point of View
And restoring Kalyan Banerjee without explanation risks reopening that fault line. The tight-lipped response from TMC MPs at the Kalighat meeting speaks volumes about the tensions that remain beneath the surface.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Kalyan Banerjee reinstated as TMC Lok Sabha chief whip?
Mamata Banerjee reinstated Kalyan Banerjee on 14 May 2025, citing his role as a senior advocate in handling cases related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal before the Supreme Court. No other official reason was provided by the party.
When had Kalyan Banerjee resigned as TMC chief whip?
Kalyan Banerjee resigned as Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha Chief Whip in August 2025, and Mamata Banerjee accepted the resignation promptly. He was replaced at the time by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar from the Barasat constituency.
What was the feud that led to Kalyan Banerjee's original resignation?
Kalyan Banerjee was in the news at the time of his August 2025 resignation over a public feud with fellow TMC Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra, who represents the Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district. The party did not officially link the two events.
Who held the TMC Lok Sabha chief whip position between Kalyan Banerjee's stints?
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member from the Barasat constituency in North 24 Parganas district, served as chief whip in the interim period of approximately nine months.
What did Mamata Banerjee tell TMC MPs about the West Bengal Assembly poll defeat?
Mamata Banerjee directed party MPs not to be disheartened by the TMC's defeat in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls, and instead urged them to concentrate on more intensive public outreach in their respective constituencies.
