Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar (born 23 November 1959) is an Indian physician and politician from West Bengal. She is a four-time Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha from West Bengal since 2009. She was a prominent leader of Trinamool Congress (TMC) until June 2026, when she led a group of TMC MPs to merge with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India.[2].In the 2009 elections, she won from Barasat (Lok Sabha constituency), and was re-elected in the 2014, 2019, and 2024 Indian general elections..[3]
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar | |
|---|---|
 Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar in 2016 flagging off a new train at Howrah Station, West Bengal | |
| Member of Panel of Chairpersons (Lok Sabha) | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2019 | |
| Appointed by | Om Birla |
| Preceded by | Ratna De (Nag)[a] |
| Group Leader of Indian Parliamentary Friendship Groups for Bulgaria by Lok Sabha. | |
| Assumed office 23 February 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Parliamentary Chairperson of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India in the Lok Sabha | |
| Assumed office 14 June 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| Assumed office 16 May 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Subrata Bose |
| Constituency | Barasat, West Bengal |
| Chief Whip of the AITC in the Lok Sabha | |
| Leader | Sudip Bandyopadhyay Abhishek Banerjee |
| Preceded by | Office Re-established |
| Succeeded by | Kalyan Banerjee (politician) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kakoli Moitra 23 November 1959 Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Party | Nationalist Citizens Party of India (2026–present) |
Other party | Indian National Congress (till 1998) Trinamool Congress (1998–2026) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| King's College London R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital | |
| Profession | Physician |
As of 17 September, 2009 Source: | |
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar was the National President of All India Trinamool Mahila Congress, the women's wing of TMC. In August 2025, Ghosh Dastidar was appointed as the Chief Whip of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the Lok Sabha. [4] In May 2026, after the AITC (TMC) party's defeat in the West Bengal state elections, Ghosh Dastidar distanced herself from party chief Mamata Banerjee, and resigned all TMC party posts, citing corruption under her rule and the mishandling of the 2024 Kolkata rape and murder.[5][6]
In June 2026, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar led a breakaway group of more than two-thirds of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs (20 out of 28 MPs), who rebelled against the leadership of Mamata Banerjee.[7][8][9] Subsequently, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and the rebel MPs decided to merge with the registered regional political party, Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) to avoid legal complications under the anti-defection law. [10][8]
Early life
editKakoli Ghosh was born on 23 November 1959. Her family has had a connection to West Bengal and Indian politics and government for three generations. Her maternal grandfather served as the postmaster general of West Bengal. Her paternal uncle, the late Arun Moitra, was a freedom fighter and a former Pradesh Congress President. Her maternal uncle, Gurudas Dasgupta, was also a Member of the Indian Parliament.[citation needed]
Ajit Moitra, who is Dastidar's father, built his family farm in Digberia of Barasat in North 24 Parganas District of West Bengal. Member of Parliament (MP) Ghosh grew up at her family's farm. Her husband, Dr. Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar, is an infertility and IVF specialist and a former minister of West Bengal.[11] They have two sons.[12]
Education
editKakoli Ghosh gained her medical degree from R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, which was then affiliated with the University of Calcutta. She also did a Post Graduate Training in Obstetric Ultrasound from King's College London.[12]
Medical Career
editPolitical Career
editGhosh Dastidar grew up in a socio-political environment with a family legacy of public service and has served the local community, including providing health services to women from poor communities. [13][15]
In 2009, Dastidar became a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha and retained the constituency in four successive elections, becoming one of TMC's most prominent women leaders and serving as the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha since 2024. [16]
1996 - 2025
editIn 2009 Lok Sabha elections, she won from Barasat (Lok Sabha constituency) by a margin of 1,22,901 votes.[11][17][18] She had earlier lost the elections from Diamond Harbour (Lok Sabha constituency),[19] Howrah (Lok Sabha constituency)[20] and Ballyganj assembly constituency.[21] and Jadavpur Assembly Constituency in 1996.
She served as a member of Panel of Chairpersons since 17th Lok Sabha and as Group leader for Indian Parliamentary Friendly groups for Bulgaria appointed by 18th Lok Sabha.[22] In 2025, she was also a member of the Committee on Home Affairs in the Lok Sabha (People's Chamber) of the Indian Parliament.[13]
On 5 August 2025, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar was appointed Chief Whip of the All India Trinamool Congress in the Lok Sabha, succeeding Kalyan Banerjee following his resignation from the post. [4]
2026 onwards
editIn May 2026, after the TMC party's defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, several senior leaders and legislators, including Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, distanced themselves from Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party chief, citing widespread corruption and violence by some party workers. [23]
On 27 May 2026, Ghosh Dastidar resigned all posts she held in the TMC and accused fellow MP Kalyan Banerjee of verbal abuse and misogyny, and also cited corruption in the previous government, the 2024 Kolkata rape and murder, and the influence of the political consultancy group Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC) over the TMC for her resigning from her party positions.[24][25]
In June 2026, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar led a breakaway group of more than two-thirds of the TMC MPs (20 out of 28 MPs), who rebelled against the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, and sought recognition as a separate bloc in Parliament.[26] After a rebellion in the All India Trinamool Congress, 20 members of parliament joined the NCPI.[8][27]
Subsequently, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and the rebel MPs decided to merge with the registered regional political party NCPI to avoid legal complications under the anti-defection law. [10][8]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Ten-member Panel of Chairpersons in Lok Sabha". The Economic Times. 9 June 2014. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ↑ "From Mamata loyalist to rebel camp leader: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's journey". Hindustan Times. HT Media. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ "From Mamata loyalist to rebel camp leader: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's journey". Hindustan Times. HT Media. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- 1 2 Nag, Jayatri (5 August 2025). "Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar appointed new Chief Whip of Trinamool Congress in Lok Sabha". The Economic Times. The Times Group. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/trinamool-mp-kakoli-ghosh-dastidar-quits-party-posts-cites-corruption-rg-kar-rape-murder-11555205
- ↑ https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/west-bengal/tmcs-kakoli-ghosh-dastidar-accuses-party-mp-kalyan-banerjee-of-verbal-abuse-misogyny/article71032394.ece
- ↑ "From Mamata loyalist to rebel camp leader: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's journey". Hindustan Times. HT Media. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Rebel TMC MPs to join Tripura-based Nationalist Citizen Party of India, to support NDA". Hindustan Times. HT Digital Streams Ltd. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ↑ "TMC Rebel MPs: পশ্চিমবঙ্গে এবার নতুন রাজনৈতিক দল, তৃণমূলের বিদ্রোহীরা যোগ দিচ্ছেন NCPI-তে, NDA-র বন্ধু". ABP Ananda (in Bengali). ABP Network. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- 1 2 "20 rebel Trinamool Lok Sabha MPs seek to merge with Nationalist Citizen Party of India". The Hindu. 14 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Kakoli Ghosh". Archived from the original on 15 May 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
- 1 2 "Biographical Sketch Member of Parliament 15th Lok Sabha". Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- 1 2 3 "Dr. Kakoli Ghosh". Lok Sabha Members – 15th Lok Sabha. Archived from the original on 21 July 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
- ↑ "From Mamata loyalist to rebel camp leader: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's journey". Hindustan Times. HT Media. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ "From Mamata loyalist to rebel camp leader: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's journey". Hindustan Times. HT Media. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ "From Mamata loyalist to rebel camp leader: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's journey". Hindustan Times. HT Media. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ "Parliament Election - 2009 West Bengal" (PDF). List Of Winners And Runners-Up With Winning Margin. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
- ↑ "Detailed Profile: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar". Retrieved 12 August 2009.
- ↑ "17 - DIAMOND HARBOUR Parliamentary Constituency". Partywise Comparison Since 1977. Election Commission. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
- ↑ "24 – Howrah Parliamentary Constituency, West Bengal". Partywise Comparison since 1977. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
- ↑ "152 - Ballygunge Assembly Constituency". Partywise comparison since 1977. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
- ↑ "Kakoli Ghosh to lead IPFG for Bulgaria". Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- ↑ Kumar, Vivek (12 June 2026). "Saayoni Ghosh, Yusuf Pathan, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar among 19 TMC rebel MPs. India Today accesses letter". India Today. Living Media India Limited. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/trinamool-mp-kakoli-ghosh-dastidar-quits-party-posts-cites-corruption-rg-kar-rape-murder-11555205
- ↑ https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/west-bengal/tmcs-kakoli-ghosh-dastidar-accuses-party-mp-kalyan-banerjee-of-verbal-abuse-misogyny/article71032394.ece
- ↑ "From Mamata loyalist to rebel camp leader: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's journey". Hindustan Times. HT Media. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ "TMC Rebel MPs: পশ্চিমবঙ্গে এবার নতুন রাজনৈতিক দল, তৃণমূলের বিদ্রোহীরা যোগ দিচ্ছেন NCPI-তে, NDA-র বন্ধু". ABP Ananda (in Bengali). ABP Network. 14 June 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.