Kolkata, 28 May (H.S.): The internal conflict within the Trinamool Congress has come out in the open after party MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar accused fellow TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee of verbal harassment and misogynistic behaviour.
In a letter addressed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday, Kakoli sought permission to file a formal complaint against Kalyan Banerjee. The Barasat MP alleged that she had faced verbal abuse from him on multiple occasions inside Parliament. She further claimed that his behaviour towards women MPs was insulting and anti-women, and demanded appropriate action against him.
Attempts were reportedly made to contact both Kakoli and Kalyan for their reactions, but no official response was received from either side.
The controversy has gained further political significance as Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar recently resigned from all organisational posts in the Trinamool Congress. Earlier, she had also stepped down as president of the Barasat organisational district unit. During her resignation, she had indirectly targeted election strategist group I-PAC and hinted at growing dissatisfaction within the party.
In her resignation letter as well, Kakoli had indirectly criticised Kalyan Banerjee. She wrote that there was no meaning in continuing in a position where it was not possible to stop indecent behaviour against women MPs and where there was no support or sympathy from the party leadership.
Reacting to the allegations, Kalyan Banerjee hit back at Kakoli. He stated that he had served as the chief whip of the parliamentary party from 2011 to 2025 and advised Kakoli to look at her own political past before levelling accusations against him. He also referred to the Narada case and syndicate politics while attacking her politically.
The developments have triggered fresh discussions in political circles. Several MPs in the Lok Sabha have long believed that despite belonging to different political parties, Om Birla and Kalyan Banerjee shared cordial relations. Attention is now focused on what action the Lok Sabha Speaker may take regarding Kakoli’s complaint.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey
