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New Delhi: Senior MP Kalyan Banerjee accused his party colleagues or failing to support him when he was allegedly threatened by BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy two years ago.
Banerjee, who represents the Serampore Lok Sabha constituency, had resigned as TMC's chief whip in the Lower House earlier this month following a spat with colleague Mahua Moitra. On Sunday, Banerjee said Rudy “held out threats” against him in 2023 when he had publicly defended Moitra during the BJP's cash-for-query campaign against her.
“For supporting Mahua Moitra, Rajiv Pratap Rudy showed me his muscle power and threatened me. Unfortunately, our deputy leader Satabdi Roy remained silent. While MPs from the Samajwadi Party had extended solidarity, not a single Trinamool MP stood with me,” Banerjee alleged.
His remarks came while responding to questions about Moitra and the recent comments linked to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Banerjee declined to weigh in on the matter directly but condemned former BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri's "unacceptable" remarks against Moitra. He also said that Bidhuri had been denied a party ticket in 2024 due to repeated misconduct.
"What Ramesh Bidhuri has said against Mahua Moitra is not acceptable at all. Is it the culture of the BJP to attack a lady MP in this way? Ramesh Biduri had made bad remarks earlier too, and that's why he was threatened by the party, and he didn't get the ticket in 2024," Banerjee said.
The 68-year-old leader also pointed out to a lack of communication within TMC's parliamentary ranks. “Not all developments reach the party leadership. There seems to be a filter,” he said, as quoted by NDTV. Banerjee further said that he is awaiting a response from Rudy, who recently secured victory in the Constitution Club elections.
His comments came amid ongoing friction in TMC's Delhi unit. Earlier this year, Banerjee drew backlash over his remarks regarding a rape case in Kolkata. Moitra described it as "misogynist." West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee intervened and asked her party MPs to not on fight among themselves. The West Bengal CM instead asked the MPs to collectively focus fighting the government on Special Intensive Revision.
