"Rewarded for 4 decades of loyalty", says Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar after LS chief whip post snub

Trinamool has replaced Barasat MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar with Serampore MP Kalyan Banerjee as the party’s Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha. The decision was announced during a high-level meeting at Banerjee’s Kalighat residence on Thursday, where she urged party MPs to remain united during the "party's difficult days" following its significant defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. While Kalyan Banerjee returns to the post he resigned from last August, Shatabdi Roy remains the Deputy Leader, leaving Dastidar without a formal leadership role in the parliamentary team.

The shuffle has triggered visible resentment from Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, who took to social media on Friday to express her frustration. In a poignant post, she noted that her association with Mamata Banerjee dates back to 1976 during their student politics days, with their formal political journey beginning in 1984. Referring to her removal, she wrote, "I have been rewarded today for four decades of loyalty." Her words reflect a deep sense of hurt, as she highlighted her long-standing commitment to the party, including the era when Banerjee first defeated Somnath Chatterjee in Jadavpur.

Political observers believe the move is not purely performance-based, as both MPs saw their assembly segments swing toward the BJP in the recent elections. In Dastidar’s Barasat constituency, the BJP led in five out of seven segments, while in Kalyan Banerjee’s Serampore, the ratio was 5-2 in favor of the BJP. The reinstatement of Kalyan Banerjee—who had resigned last year amidst a public feud with Mahua Moitra—suggests a strategic internal realignment by the TMC leadership as it navigates its new role in the opposition.