Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee on Tuesday, 14 July renewed his sharp attack on party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, holding him responsible for the party's declining grip on Bengal politics. Speaking out once again, Kalyan also trained his fire on the party's former political consultant agency and Abhishek's close aides, pulling no punches in one of his most direct broadsides yet.

Camac Street in the Crosshairs

At the centre of Kalyan's criticism is Abhishek Banerjee's office on Camac Street in central Kolkata, which he described as the nerve centre of the party's troubles. He directly named Sumit Roy, Abhishek's absconding executive assistant, against whom a case has reportedly been filed at Salbani police station. According to Kalyan, leaders who once liaised with Sumit Roy at Camac Street are now being summoned by police and warned of their alleged connection to the Salbani case. 'Camac Street finished us off,' he said, in what amounted to his starkest indictment yet of Abhishek's operational circle.

Police Pressure and the Rebel Divide

Kalyan went further, alleging that a disturbing pattern has emerged: authorities are reportedly telling party leaders to either join the rebel faction or face arrest. He claimed that many TMC leaders are being squeezed by this pressure, which he attributed directly to the fallout from Sumit Roy's actions and Abhishek's office. It may be noted that Kalyan himself has not joined the rebel camp that emerged after the party's defeat in the Assembly election. He has consistently maintained that he stands with the original, minority faction of the TMC led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Rebels Who Once Backed Abhishek

In a pointed irony, Kalyan argued that those now leading the rebellion against Abhishek are the very people who once benefited most from him and who championed the political consultant agency's rise within the party. 'They were with Abhishek and got everything from him,' he said, adding that these same leaders had established themselves by projecting themselves as Abhishek's loyalists. He alleged that if Sumit Roy called them twice a day, they would consider it a blessing — and that today, those same people are among his loudest critics.

A Dissent That Goes Back to 2022

Kalyan's criticism of Abhishek is not new. The Sreerampur MP first publicly challenged Abhishek's 'Diamond Harbour Model' in 2022, a move that drew fierce backlash. Abhishek's supporters reportedly put up posters against Kalyan, burned his effigy in Bhabanipur, and held protests at Diamond Harbour. Kalyan recalled that at the time, the very leaders who are now rebels had opposed him, and that he was only able to stay in the party because Mamata Banerjee stood by him. He noted the contradiction sharply: those who once silenced his dissent are now echoing it.

What This Signals for TMC

The renewed infighting within the TMC reflects a deepening fault line between the Mamata-loyalist old guard and the Abhishek-aligned faction, now complicated by the post-election rebellion. With the party navigating a significant internal crisis, Kalyan's repeated and increasingly detailed attacks suggest that the internal reckoning is far from over. How the leadership responds — and whether Abhishek addresses these allegations publicly — will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.