Kalyan Banerjee's son: 'We are not Abhishek Banerjee's employees'
Synopsis
A private legal dispute has exploded into a public TMC family feud. Kalyan Banerjee's son says his father's legal team was dumped overnight by Abhishek Banerjee's camp — and that no one in the party is obliged to take orders from Mamata's nephew. With Kalyan now demanding Mamata choose sides, the rift exposes a deeper generational fault line inside the Trinamool.
Key Takeaways
Sirsanya Bandopadhyay , son of TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee , publicly attacked Abhishek Banerjee on 11 June over 'high-handedness'.
Kalyan Banerjee 's legal team was abruptly replaced by Abhishek Banerjee 's camp in the Calcutta High Court legislators' signature mismatch case.
The dismissal came on Wednesday night with no prior notice, which Bandopadhyay called 'humiliating and demeaning'.
Kalyan Banerjee issued an ultimatum to Mamata Banerjee , asking her to choose between him and Abhishek.
Bandopadhyay insisted the TMC is 'much bigger than Abhishek Banerjee ' and that the party belongs to its lakhs of workers.
Sirsanya Bandopadhyay, son of four-time All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee, on 11 June launched a sharp attack on TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, accusing him of an 'overbearing' attitude after his father publicly demanded that party supremo Mamata Banerjee choose between the two. Bandopadhyay's remarks came moments after Kalyan Banerjee's vociferous outburst against Abhishek over alleged 'arrogance and misbehaviour', deepening a visible rift within the ruling party in West Bengal.
What Sirsanya Bandopadhyay Said
'We are not Abhishek Banerjee's employees, to whom he will dictate what to do and what not to do,' Bandopadhyay said in his first public reaction. He accused the TMC general secretary of 'high-handedness' and a fundamental inability to trust those working on his behalf.
'The problem with Abhishek is that he cannot trust anyone. He was trying to create a second line-up of lawyers. This is not the way it is done,' Bandopadhyay remarked.
The Legal Dispute That Triggered the Fallout
Kalyan Banerjee had been handling a court case involving a legislators' signature mismatch matter concerning Abhishek Banerjee in the Calcutta High Court. According to Bandopadhyay, his father and the legal team were working 'arduously' to seek relief, but hearings were repeatedly deferred due to court pendency.
The breaking point came on Wednesday night, when Abhishek Banerjee's team informed them that their services were no longer required, as another lawyer had been appointed. Bandopadhyay described this as 'humiliating and demeaning' for the family and the legal team.
Kalyan Banerjee's Ultimatum to Mamata
Earlier on 11 June, Kalyan Banerjee — widely regarded as one of Mamata Banerjee's most loyal and long-standing aides — issued what amounted to an ultimatum, saying the party chief would have to choose between 'arrogant' Abhishek Banerjee and himself, as he could no longer tolerate the latter's 'haughtiness'.
Sirsanya Bandopadhyay defended his father's bluntness, noting that the veteran MP had 'stood behind Mamata Banerjee like a rock' not just in good times but also when many trusted supporters had deserted her.
Party Loyalty vs Factional Tension
When asked whether withdrawing from the case amounted to 'betraying' the party, Bandopadhyay pushed back firmly. 'The Trinamool is much bigger than Abhishek Banerjee — it encompasses the voice of lakhs of workers and supporters,' he said.
He added that when 'tall and big leaders have disappeared or jumped ship', it was his father's camp that continued to provide legal and political assistance to party workers in distress. This is not the first time internal TMC friction has surfaced publicly; the Kalyan–Abhishek divide has been simmering for months, reflecting a broader generational and factional contest within the party.
What Happens Next
The public confrontation puts Mamata Banerjee in an uncomfortable position, forced to manage a visible loyalty clash ahead of upcoming political battles in West Bengal. Whether she intervenes to broker a truce or allows the fissure to widen will be closely watched by both party insiders and the opposition.
Point of View
Or discipline Abhishek and risk undermining her own succession calculus. The mainstream coverage is framing this as a personal feud, but the structural question — who controls the TMC's legal and organisational machinery — is the real story.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Kalyan Banerjee's son attack Abhishek Banerjee?
Sirsanya Bandopadhyay attacked Abhishek Banerjee after his father's legal team was abruptly replaced in the Calcutta High Court case involving a legislators' signature mismatch matter. He accused Abhishek of 'high-handedness' and an inability to trust those working on his behalf.
What is the Calcutta High Court case involving Abhishek Banerjee?
The case relates to a legislators' signature mismatch matter in which Kalyan Banerjee's legal team had been representing Abhishek Banerjee. The hearings had been repeatedly deferred due to court pendency before the legal team was replaced.
What ultimatum did Kalyan Banerjee give Mamata Banerjee?
Kalyan Banerjee told Mamata Banerjee on 11 June that she would have to choose between 'arrogant' Abhishek Banerjee and himself, saying he could no longer tolerate Abhishek's 'haughtiness'. It marked one of the most public displays of intra-TMC friction in recent months.
Who is Sirsanya Bandopadhyay?
Sirsanya Bandopadhyay is the son of four-time TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee and was part of the legal team handling the court case on behalf of Abhishek Banerjee before the team was replaced.
What does this mean for the TMC's internal unity?
The public confrontation deepens a visible factional rift within the Trinamool Congress between old-guard loyalists and Abhishek Banerjee's organisational network. It puts Mamata Banerjee under pressure to intervene ahead of upcoming political battles in West Bengal.
