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The matter escalated and reached Mamata Banerjee, who reportedly asked both MPs to stand down, the BJP claimed.
TMC MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra | File Image/PTI
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday shared the chats of TMC MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Kirti Azad fighting amongst themselves on the party’s official WhatsApp group.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said the heated WhatsApp exchange between the party leaders took place after the public spat between TMC MPs, reportedly Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra, at the Election Commission headquarters, where they had gone to submit a party representation.
“It appears the party had instructed its MPs to gather at the Parliament office to sign the memorandum before proceeding to the EC. However, the MP (Kalyan Banerjee) carrying the memorandum skipped the Parliament meeting and went directly to the EC,” Malviya said in an X post.
He further claimed that Banerjee’s move angered Moitra, who confronted him when they came face to face at the poll panel’s headquarters. “A heated exchange ensued, with both shouting at each other to the extent that one of them asked the police personnel present to step in,” the BJP leader said.
The matter escalated and reached Mamata Banerjee, who reportedly asked both MPs to stand down, Malviya claimed.
According to Malviya, the infighting soon intensified and extended to the WhatsApp group ‘AITC MP 2024’, where Kalyan Banerjee and Kirti Azad, who supported Moitra, clashed.
Take a look at the screengrab of the WhatsApp chats shared by the BJP:
On 4th April 2024, two TMC MPs had a public spat at the headquarters of the Election Commission of India, where they had gone to submit a representation. It appears the party had instructed its MPs to gather at the Parliament office to sign the memorandum before proceeding to the… pic.twitter.com/BwqQRE8FhI— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 7, 2025
TMC Infigting Snowballs
Sources told CNN-News18 that the altercation between TMC MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra took place before the party delegation visited the Election Commission headquarters. A day earlier, Banerjee had signed a deputation letter on behalf of some MPs, which notably did not include Moitra’s name.
The following day, when the TMC delegation arrived at the EC office, Moitra confronted Banerjee, leading to a heated exchange. During the argument, Moitra asked security personnel to intervene and demanded Banerjee’s arrest, alleging misconduct towards a woman MP.
Subsequently, both leaders lodged complaints with party chief Mamata Banerjee.
Sources also clarified that Moitra had not been instructed to sign the party’s memorandum. Only MPs Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sajda Ahmed, Kirti Azad, Pratima Mondal, Asit Kumar Mal, Abu Taher Khan, and Bapi Mandal were asked to sign the document.
TMC is expected to launch an inquiry to identify who leaked the chats from the party’s official WhatsApp group, with disciplinary action likely to follow.
