Kalyan Banerjee suspended for remainder of Monsoon session over ‘objectionable’ remarks against NCPI members
The remarks prompted immediate protests from the legislators, who are part of the faction that had broken away from the Trinamool Congress.
A day after a heated exchange with her over the length of his speech at the party’s July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee on Wednesday publicly appealed to party chief Mamata Banerjee to “understand reality”.
“I am ready to fight for Didi. I love and respect her, and I am willing to do everything for her. But Didi also has to understand the reality. If she thinks that whatever she says will simply happen, that will not work. And if she believes that whatever Abhishek and Derek say will be accepted without question, that will not work either,” Kalyan Banerjee told reporters.
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The Serampore MP’s remarks came after he walked off the stage at the Birla Planetarium rally on Tuesday following an argument with Mamata Banerjee over the duration of his speech.
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Though Banerjee never officially admitted that he left the state because of his difference with Trinamool Congress chief but his outburst, just a day after, is an indication that the MP from Sreerampore was hurt by the exchange.
Recounting the incident, Banerjee said he began his speech at around 12:50 pm and was later interrupted over the time he had taken.
He claimed he sent Mamata Banerjee a message at around 1:15 pm after stepping down from the stage, though he declined to reveal its contents.
“Someone told Didi that I had spoken for an hour. She kept pointing at her watch, saying it had been an hour. Am I supposed to accept that? Didi should not get irritated so easily,” he said.
According to Trinamool Congress sources, Mamata Banerjee had instructed speakers to keep their addresses brief, but Banerjee spoke for around 22 and a half minutes, forcing several MPs scheduled to speak to be dropped from the list.
The disagreement reportedly led to the exchange on stage, after which Banerjee left the venue before Mamata Banerjee’s speech, triggering speculation about his future in the party.
Dismissing rumours of a split, Kalyan Banerjee said, “I will fight the BJP while remaining in the party. If necessary, I will argue within the party. Since yesterday, I have received many messages asking me not to leave the party. Why would I leave?”
However, he warned that the party could face serious consequences if the leadership failed to recognise the ground reality.
“If Didi does not understand reality, she herself will end the party that she built,” Banerjee said.
The MP also renewed his criticism of Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
“What is Abhishek doing? Politics cannot be limited to his home and Kalighat. He has to come out among the people, face protests, abuses and attacks. That is part of politics,” he said.
Referring to his own political journey, Banerjee said, “I have sacrificed my life, youth and profession for Mamata Didi. But it becomes difficult if everything revolves only around Abhishek.”
He added that people in West Bengal still look to Mamata Banerjee for leadership.
“A woman recently told me, ‘Ask Didi to come out and travel among the people. Otherwise, we are losing confidence.’ Even today, the people of Bengal want Mamata Didi. I am ready to fight for her,” he said.
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