Abhishek Banerjee urges Mamata to permanently bar TMC rebels at July 21 rally
Synopsis
Two rival Trinamool Congress factions held simultaneous Martyrs' Day rallies in Kolkata on 21 July — one led by Abhishek Banerjee demanding a permanent ban on rebels, the other by expelled legislators demanding Abhishek's own expulsion. The split, rooted in TMC's post-election crisis, has now spilled into the party's most symbolic annual event.
Key Takeaways
Abhishek Banerjee publicly urged Mamata Banerjee at the 21 July Martyrs' Day rally in Kolkata to permanently bar leaders who deserted the TMC.
The rebel faction, led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee , held a simultaneous rival rally on Jawaharlal Nehru Road .
Madan Mitra , who recently joined the dissident camp, demanded Mamata expel Abhishek before any reconciliation talks.
The intra-party rift stems from the TMC's landslide defeat in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections .
Mamata Banerjee has not publicly responded to either side's demands as of the rally date.
Trinamool Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday, 21 July, publicly called on party supremo and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to permanently shut the door on leaders who abandoned the Trinamool Congress (TMC) during the party's difficult phase following its landslide defeat in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections. The appeal was made from the stage of the party's annual Martyrs' Day rally near Birla Planetarium in central Kolkata.
What Abhishek Said at the Rally
Addressing thousands of party workers, Abhishek — the nephew of Mamata Banerjee — delivered a pointed message to those who had crossed over to rival or rebel camps. 'Those who think that I have lost political relevance must remember that Mamata Banerjee is my source of energy. The deserters should remember that whatever political recognition they achieved in life was because of Mamata Banerjee. Even the Almighty will not pardon those who desert their own mother. Hence, I will request her not to take back any of those deserters in the future,' he said.
Abhishek also signalled defiance against investigative pressure, warning that neither central agencies — the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Income Tax Department — nor state bodies like the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Special Task Force (STF) would force the party to capitulate. 'Even if they slit my throat, the only slogans that will emerge from my body will be Jai Bangla and Mamata Banerjee Zindabad. That is our conviction,' he declared.
The Rebel Faction Strikes Back
His remarks came amid a sharpening confrontation between the Mamata-led TMC and a self-described 'rebel but majority' faction headed by expelled TMC legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. The dissidents held a parallel Martyrs' Day rally on the nearby Jawaharlal Nehru Road on the same day, underscoring the depth of the split.
From that rival dais, TMC legislator Madan Mitra — who recently joined the dissident camp — launched a direct counter-attack on Abhishek. 'Abhishek Banerjee purchased a chartered flight for his personal travel from the money donated by the ordinary party workers of Trinamool Congress. Mamata Banerjee should expel Abhishek from the party first and then approach us. If she does that, we will again accept her as our supreme leader,' Mitra said.
The Backdrop: TMC Post-Election Fracture
The TMC's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections created the conditions for this internal rupture. A section of leaders, reportedly disillusioned with the party's direction, either defected or aligned with the rebel faction. The 21 July Martyrs' Day event — traditionally TMC's most significant annual show of strength — has now become a flashpoint for the factional battle, with two competing rallies held simultaneously for the first time in recent memory.
Notably, the rebel faction's decision to hold a parallel event on the same date and in the same neighbourhood is widely seen as a direct challenge to Mamata Banerjee's authority over the party's symbolic calendar.
What Comes Next
With both sides hardening their positions publicly, the prospect of reconciliation appears remote in the near term. Mamata Banerjee has not yet responded directly to either Abhishek's appeal or Mitra's counter-demands. Political observers in West Bengal will watch whether the party leadership moves to formally expel the rebel legislators or attempts back-channel negotiations ahead of future electoral cycles.
Point of View
Or reject them and risk a permanent organisational split. What mainstream coverage underplays is that Madan Mitra's demand — expel Abhishek first — is a negotiating grenade, not a genuine olive branch. The real question is whether Mamata, who has historically used controlled reconciliation to consolidate power, still has the room to manoeuvre when both factions are now publicly committed to incompatible conditions.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Abhishek Banerjee say at the TMC Martyrs' Day rally on 21 July?
Abhishek Banerjee urged Mamata Banerjee to permanently refuse re-entry to leaders who abandoned the Trinamool Congress during the party's difficult post-election phase. He also vowed that the party would not bow to pressure from central or state investigative agencies.
Who is leading the TMC rebel faction?
The rebel faction is headed by expelled TMC legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. The group describes itself as a 'rebel but majority' faction and held a parallel Martyrs' Day rally on Jawaharlal Nehru Road in Kolkata on 21 July.
What did Madan Mitra say in response to Abhishek Banerjee?
Madan Mitra, speaking from the rival rally's stage, alleged that Abhishek Banerjee used party workers' donations to fund a chartered flight for personal travel. He said Mamata Banerjee should expel Abhishek before approaching the rebel camp for any reconciliation.
Why did the TMC split occur?
The split is rooted in the Trinamool Congress's landslide defeat in the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections. A section of leaders reportedly grew disillusioned with the party's direction and either defected or aligned with the rebel faction during that difficult period.
Has Mamata Banerjee responded to the rival factions?
As of the 21 July rallies, Mamata Banerjee had not publicly responded to Abhishek's appeal to bar rebels or to Madan Mitra's demand that Abhishek be expelled as a precondition for reconciliation.
