NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee has frequently landed himself in trouble, being a quick-tempered person with a sharp tongue, and now being suspended from Lok Sabha for the remainder of the Monsoon Session on allegations of using abusive language against fellow Members of Parliament, especially women.
A four-time MP from West Bengal's Serampore constituency and a senior advocate of the Supreme Court and Calcutta High Court, Banerjee has long been one of the Trinamool Congress' most visible -- and contentiously volatile -- faces.
Wednesday's suspension followed the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) lodging a complaint with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging that he had used abusive language against the party MPs.
Over the years, Banerjee's temper and unfiltered remarks have repeatedly landed him in trouble, both inside and outside the party.
His verbal stings have not been limited to political rivals; colleagues have also found themselves at the receiving end.
In 2022, his public spat with fellow Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra spilled onto the media, with both sides trading barbs.
Kalyan Banerjee has also been accused by former Trinamool MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.
These incidents paint the picture of a 69-year-old man unwilling, or unable, to temper his words, even when aimed at allies.
Party insiders have often described him as "brilliant, but combustible" leader whose legal mind is matched only by his impatience on several occasions.
Apart from Trinamool Congress and Parliamentary colleagues, Banerjee's outbursts have been directed even at the Chair and laced with personal insinuations, which have prompted uproar in, and outside the House.
Seen as a loyal Mamata Banerjee aide, yet in an explosive social media post on Tuesday, Kalyan Banerjee, poured out his grievances on how he was insulted and interrupted again and again while he was addressing the Martyrs' Day rally organised by the "Kalighat faction" of the Trinamool Congress.
And soon after his arrival in Delhi to take part in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, his contentious statements have earned him a suspension.
Not long ago, former party-colleague, now the NCPI Chief Whip in Lok Sabha, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar filed a complaint against Kalyan Banerjee, alleging verbal abuse and misogynistic behaviour inside the House.
Earlier, since 2019, Kalyan Banerjee clashed with West Bengal's then-Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar over the latter allegedly overstepping Constitutional limits.
In November 2025, he was seen mimicking the same Dhankhar who was then the Vice-President of India.
This action in front of media cameras triggered strong condemnation from ruling NDA MPs and led to a heated debate on Parliamentary decorum.
In 2022, Kalyan Banerjee was again involved in a spat with the then Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, calling his visits to violence-affected areas as "politically motivated", sparking wide confrontation.
In 2023, several posts on social media highlighted Trinamool's internal rift with Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra engaged in public disagreements.
Kalyan Banerjee's journey began far from this glare as a student at Bankura Sammilani College who went on to earn his law degree from Ranchi Law College.
By 1981, he had established himself in the Calcutta High Court, building a reputation as a formidable litigator with a knack for dismantling opponents' arguments.
He joined the fledgling Trinamool Congress in 1998, turning into one of Mamata Banerjee's most trusted lieutenants.
In Parliament, Kalyan Banerjee was among the Trinamool Congress' voice during high-stakes debates, delivering speeches laced with biting sarcasm and legal precision, often turning controversial.
For Kalyan Banerjee, the suspension marks a rare moment of political isolation. While he remains a heavyweight in Serampore, where his grassroots connect and legal advocacy have earned him loyalty, his standing within the Parliament and the party's inner circle appears shaken.
--IANS
