TMC Rejig: Abhishek picked as party's leader in LS, Kalyan quits as chief whip

Kolkata: The TMC on Monday witnessed a rejig among its ranks after the party named national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee as its leader in the Lok Sabha and Kalyan Banerjee resigned as the chief whip, amid run-ins with colleague Mahua Moitra.

He announced his resignation after attending a virtual meeting of TMC MPs, chaired by party chief Mamata Banerjee.

Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra have had heated confrontations in the past.

Recently, they got embroiled in a bitter war of words over the alleged gang rape of a student in a law college here with the former launching a personal attack on the latter.

On the other hand, Abhishek Banerjee, a three-time MP from Diamond Harbour, will replace veteran lawmaker from Kolkata Uttar Sudip Bandopadhyay, they said.

Bandopadhyay was relieved of the responsibility because of his poor health, they added.

The decision was taken at a virtual meeting of TMC MPs, chaired by party chief Mamata Banerjee. Party lawmakers from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were present in the meeting, sources said.

Banerjee is the nephew of the West Bengal chief minister.

The TMC, which has 29 seats in the Lok Sabha, is a key constituent of the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc.