Just days after he resigned as Trinamool Congress Chief Whip of the Lok Sabha, four-time MP of TMC Kalyan Banerjee—who has recently turned rebel within the party—was spotted having a friendly moment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public function on Monday.
Reports are that at the function, Banerjee was personally invited by the Prime Minister to accompany him, to which Banerjee smiled.
Although Banerjee said nothing regarding the exchange, the photo of their cordial encounter has raised speculation among political circles as to whether it indicates Banerjee's increasing alienation from the Trinamool Congress.
Banerjee resigned as Chief Whip last week, after a series of public complaints of how party leaders ignored his efforts and did not confront repeated insults he claimed from fellow TMC Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra.
"I have noticed the recent personal comments by Ms Mahua Moitra on a public podcast. Her word selection, including the deployment of dehumanising language like comparing a fellow MP to a 'pig', is not just unfortunate but an abiding contempt for minimal norms of civil conversation," Banerjee wrote on social media after resigning.
He also accused the party leadership, including Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, of silence and inaction over Moitra's statement.
In spite of these comments, the Trinamool Congress leadership remained mum publicly, and no disciplinary action has been taken against Moitra yet.
Banerjee's resignation was accepted at lightning speed, instead. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar—a four-time party Lok Sabha member like Moitra—has been made the new Chief Whip.
Party sources are being mum about Banerjee's warm exchange with Prime Minister Modi during the function and refused to comment on what political cue it may send.
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