TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee threatens to quit over Abhishek's 'arrogance'
Synopsis
A senior TMC MP and advocate has publicly threatened to walk out of the party, demanding Mamata Banerjee choose between him and her nephew Abhishek. The trigger: being sidelined mid-case in the Calcutta High Court — by lawyers who once worked under him. The rift is now fully public, and the pressure is squarely on Mamata to act.
Key Takeaways
Kalyan Banerjee , TMC MP and senior advocate, threatened to quit the party on 11 June .
He accused General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee of 'arrogance' and 'misbehaviour' after being bypassed in a Calcutta High Court case he was arguing.
A separate petition on search and seizure was filed in Abhishek Banerjee's case without consulting Kalyan, who was replaced by junior lawyers he had trained.
Kalyan issued an ultimatum to Mamata Banerjee : choose between him and Abhishek, or he will leave.
The dispute surfaces amid Abhishek Banerjee's ongoing legal battle against a West Bengal CID summons in the legislators' signature mismatch case.
Trinamool Congress MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday, 11 June publicly threatened to leave the party, accusing General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee of 'arrogance' and 'misbehaviour', and demanding that party supremo Mamata Banerjee choose between the two. The outburst marks a sharp escalation in the widening rift within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) ahead of a critical legal battle in Kolkata.
What Triggered the Fallout
The immediate flashpoint was a legal proceeding before the Calcutta High Court. Kalyan Banerjee, who was representing Abhishek Banerjee in a case challenging a summons by the West Bengal Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the legislators' signature mismatch case, said he was blindsided when a separate petition on search and seizure was filed without his knowledge.
'Yesterday, I mentioned the matter before the court and said that the case requires an urgent hearing. The court said that the matter would be taken up tomorrow. Around 12.30, one lawyer came and said that another petition had been filed regarding search and seizure. How can you file it without consulting me?' Kalyan Banerjee said.
He added that his son received a message at around 12:30 informing him that 'Kalyan Banerjee is not required anymore' — a slight he described as a 'great humiliation' for a senior lawyer of his standing.
Key Accusations Against Abhishek Banerjee
Kalyan Banerjee did not mince words in his assessment of the TMC's second-in-command. 'His arrogant attitude has destroyed the entire party. His misbehaviour has destroyed everything,' he said. He further alleged that the lawyers now appointed to argue in Abhishek's case had all worked under him as juniors, calling the episode a profound disrespect for seniority.
'He thinks of himself as a king, even in the bad days. Meanwhile, I have stood for the party, behind Mamata Banerjee, during the bad days,' Kalyan Banerjee said, drawing a pointed contrast between his own loyalty and what he characterised as Abhishek's entitlement.
The Ultimatum to Mamata Banerjee
While reaffirming his personal loyalty to Mamata Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee framed his ultimatum starkly: 'I am with Mamata Banerjee. But Mamata Di has to choose between me and Abhishek. She has to decide first. Mamata Di has to first decide that if she cannot move the party without Abhishek Banerjee, then I will not be there.'
He urged the TMC supremo to decide the future course of action, saying it was 'impossible' for him to continue working under the current circumstances. Notably, this is not the first time internal dissent has surfaced within the TMC over Abhishek Banerjee's growing influence — critics within the party have previously raised concerns about a parallel power centre.
Broader Context
The dispute comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the TMC. Abhishek Banerjee's petition before the Calcutta High Court sought interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, in connection with the legislators' signature mismatch case — a matter with direct political implications for the party's legislative standing in West Bengal. The internal fracture, now aired publicly, risks undermining the party's legal and political strategy simultaneously.
Whether Mamata Banerjee intervenes to broker a truce — or allows the rift to deepen — will be closely watched in the days ahead.
Point of View
Who built their careers under Mamata's banner long before her nephew became the organisation's de facto number two. The fact that this erupted over a legal matter — not a political one — suggests the frustration has reached a point where even procedural slights are flashpoints. Mamata now faces a classic principal's dilemma: disciplining Abhishek risks weakening her succession architecture; ignoring Kalyan risks signalling that loyalty to the party's founding generation is expendable.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Kalyan Banerjee threatening to leave the Trinamool Congress?
Kalyan Banerjee threatened to quit after he was reportedly sidelined in a Calcutta High Court case he was arguing on behalf of Abhishek Banerjee, without prior consultation. He described the episode as a 'great humiliation' and accused Abhishek of 'arrogance' and 'misbehaviour'.
What was the legal case at the centre of the dispute?
The case involved a petition by Abhishek Banerjee challenging a summons issued by the West Bengal CID in the legislators' signature mismatch case, and seeking interim protection from arrest. Kalyan Banerjee was representing him when a separate petition on search and seizure was filed by another lawyer without his knowledge.
What ultimatum did Kalyan Banerjee give Mamata Banerjee?
Kalyan Banerjee asked Mamata Banerjee to choose between him and Abhishek, saying he would leave if she felt the party could not function without her nephew. He reaffirmed his personal loyalty to Mamata while making the demand.
Who is Abhishek Banerjee in the Trinamool Congress?
Abhishek Banerjee is the General Secretary of the Trinamool Congress and the nephew of party supremo Mamata Banerjee. He represents the Diamond Harbour constituency and is widely regarded as the party's second-most powerful figure.
Is this the first sign of internal conflict in the TMC over Abhishek Banerjee?
No. Critics within the party have previously raised concerns about Abhishek Banerjee's growing influence and what some describe as a parallel power centre. Kalyan Banerjee's public outburst is, however, one of the most direct and high-profile challenges to Abhishek's position to date.
