Kalyan versus Mahua, Sougata, Kirti: TMC’s dirty linen out in public

With only about a year to go for the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections, an ugly rift has opened up in the Trinamool Congress, with MP Kalyan Banerjee hitting out at fellow MPs Mahua Moitra and Sougata Roy, while the latter said the firebrand Moitra was left in tears after a spat with Banerjee last week.

Without naming Moitra, Banerjee has labelled the “female MP” as “rude” and “uncivilised” and slammed Roy, a veteran politician, and raked up the 2014 “Narada sting operation”, in which Roy was among the politicians allegedly recorded taking bribes.

Reacting to his outburst, Roy demanded on Tuesday (April 8) that Banerjee be removed as the party’s chief whip in the House over “behavioural issues” after Banerjee’s rude behaviour left Moitra in tears last week, when a TMC delegation was about to meet the Election Commission.

Also read: Why BJP is pursuing 'tried-and-failed' Hindutva strategy in Bengal

Kalyan’s 'behavioral issues'

Roy’s remarks came as purported videos and WhatsApp chats emerged of the bitter exchanges between TMC MPs, including Kirti Azad, who had advised Banerjee to exercise restraint.

Talking to reporters in Kolkata, Roy accused Banerjee of being “uncivilised” on multiple occasions and mentioned that during a JPC meeting on the Waqf Bill, the Serampore MP broke a bottle and threw it at the chairman of the panel.

With BJP leader Amit Malviya sharing videos purportedly showing Banerjee shouting at his colleagues while entering the EC office as party leaders tried to calm him down, Roy confirmed that an altercation took place but added that he was not present there.

What happened outside EC office?

According to a PTI report, a source in the TMC said the spat occurred on April 4 when a delegation of TMC leaders met the full bench of the EC over the duplicate voter ID numbers and also staged a march to Parliament after that.

The source said that Banerjee was given the charge of getting the signatures of TMC MPs on a memorandum that the party was to submit to the EC. Moitra had alleged that she was not included in the signatories and slammed Banerjee over it outside the EC office.

A war of words broke out between the two MPs, and Banerjee has claimed that Moitra had asked security personnel at the EC office to arrest him.

Also read: Can't accept SC verdict, says Mamata Banerjee as she slams BJP for 'conspiracy'

Kalyan’s claim

According to Banerjee, he had been told 27 MPs would sign the memorandum but their names had not been given to him. “As I reached the EC office, a female MP questioned me because her name was not on the list. She shouted... that her name had been deliberately removed,” he claimed.

“She shouted and I responded... Then she ran to the (security personnel) and asked them to arrest me! I have been in politics for 40 years... I fought against CPM, Congress, and BJP,” he alleged.

“If Didi (Mamata Banerjee) says I am wrong, I shall quit politics forever. But I will not tolerate that rude female MP who pressures me to give her more time (to speak in Parliament),” he declared.

He lashed out at Roy as well, saying “Does Sougata Roy have a character? His nature is to disturb everyone... He has not liked me since 2001... (he) was caught taking cash!”

Party’s internal matters being leaked: Roy

Reacting to the issue, Roy said, “I was not there when this altercation between Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra took place. I was at Vijay Chowk and the spat took place in front of the EC office. I saw Mahua crying and complaining to several MPs, including those of other parties, about Kalyan’s behaviour. Whatever happened is unfortunate.”

Roy added that the party’s “internal matters” were being “leaked”. He, however, clarified that Moitra did not tell him anything directly.

“She told another MP. She said that he (Banerjee) behaved in an uncivilised manner,” Roy said, adding the chief whip of the party in the Lower House of Parliament is known for his intemperate and uncivilised behaviour.

Also read: ‘Is Sanatan Dharma dirty for Mamata?’ BJP pans Bengal CM for Eid speech

Roy speaks on Kalyan’s ‘uncivilised behaviour’

“I feel it is beneath my dignity to reply to whatever Kalyan Banerjee may have said. His uncivilised behaviour had been in our focus several times. He called (Union minister) Jyotiraditya Scindia ‘lady killer’ and later apologised to him.

“During the JPC meeting on Waqf Bill, he broke a bottle and threw it at the chairman of the panel. Kalyan is known for his intemperate and uncivilised behaviour. So far, I did not speak about it because it’s beneath my dignity. I heard from you that he has said things against me and that’s why I have replied,” Roy told reporters.

He said Kalyan Banerjee should be removed from the post of the chief whip of the party in Lok Sabha. “But I leave it to (Trinamool supremo) Mamata Banerjee’s judgment. That Kalyan is not fit to be in the post is apparent to me… I do not expect Kalyan to uphold my dignity. I think I can do that... I have been in Parliament for five years, in Assembly for another five and these are pretty long tenures for people to judge. I don’t want Kalyan Banerjee’s certificate,” he said.

TMC group chat

The screenshots of WhatsApp messages, purportedly from a group chat of TMC MPs, which was shared on X by Malviya, showed that Banerjee had a tiff with Kirti Azad, the party MP from Durgapur, with the Serampore MP referring to an unknown “versatile international lady”.

In the purported group chats, Banerjee posted a message, saying that he had reached Kolkata. Then he added, “Send your BSF and Delhi Police to arrest me. Your Home Ministry connection is a very strong, international great lady.”

Another message, purportedly by Banerjee, read, “Today, I congratulate the gentleman who opened the beautiful activities of a versatile international lady. That day, not a single boyfriend of hers stood behind her. This foolish man, whom she wanted to get arrested by BSF, stood behind her. Today, of course, 30 years’ famous player stood behind her to get me arrested.” The last part was clearly a reference to Kirti Azad.

Also read: What's behind Mamata's calm avatar amid barrage of protests at Oxford?

Kalyan versus Kirti

In response, Azad could be seen purportedly asking Banerjee to not act like a “juvenile delinquent”. A still unrelenting Banerjee threw a few more sallies at Azad, one of which was terming him a “captain of... internal politics”.

“Your popularity is so much that you lost election in cricket. Let me see your power to get me arrested for your friend. Do not worry I will go to Durgapur and open your musk (sic),” he purportedly wrote in the group chat. Another party source said Banerjee was upset with Azad earlier when he had prepared a proposal demanding that a sweetmeat outlet selling sandesh, a traditional Bengali sweet, be opened in the Parliament House.

The source said Banerjee believed that if a stall has to be opened in the Parliament House, it should be a franchise of the West Bengal government.

(With agency inputs)