As the Trinamool Congress (TMC) battles one of the most turbulent phases in its nearly three-decade history, senior party leader Kalyan Banerjee has publicly drawn a line in the sand for party chief Mamata Banerjee.
The four-time MP from Serampore and one of Mamata’s oldest political associates has openly challenged the growing influence of her nephew and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, even telling the chief minister to choose between the two.
“Let Didi decide what she wants to do. Till now I am with her,” Kalyan Banerjee said. “If Didi decides to go with Abhishek then I would decide my own."
The remarks are significant not only because of their unusually blunt nature, but also because they come from a leader who has stood by Mamata Banerjee since the formation of the TMC in 1998 and has often defended the party during some of its most difficult moments.
What did Kalyan Banerjee say?
Banerjee made it clear that his loyalty to Mamata Banerjee remains intact, but that his differences with Abhishek Banerjee have reached a point where he sees no room for compromise.
{{/usCountry}}Banerjee made it clear that his loyalty to Mamata Banerjee remains intact, but that his differences with Abhishek Banerjee have reached a point where he sees no room for compromise.
{{/usCountry}}“I am still with Didi but won't tolerate Abhishek Banerjee's arrogance. I have quit all cases related to Banerjee,” he said.
Banerjee's decision to distance himself from cases linked to Abhishek appears to have been triggered by disagreements over the handling of a legal challenge related to allegations of forged signatures of MLAs submitted to the West Bengal Assembly.
The controversy surfaced weeks after the TMC's defeat in the Assembly elections, when some legislators claimed their signatures had either been forged or used without their consent on documents submitted to the Assembly regarding the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition and the party's chief whip.
However, Kalyan's criticism went beyond political disagreement and turned personal, targeting what he described as Abhishek Banerjee’s attitude towards senior leaders.
“He (Abhishek Banerjee) thinks everyone is beneath him, as if everyone is merely an employee from Camac Street. I have been in this profession for 45 years. Who does not know me as a senior advocate? Is there anyone? How long have I been practicing? Leave aside this court even in the Supreme Court people know me. But he has become so arrogant... does not respect anyone,” news agency PTI quoted Kalyan as saying on Thursday.
He added that he had already conveyed his position directly to Mamata Banerjee.
“That is why I have stepped aside. This morning I also told Didi: choose between me and Abhishek Banerjee.”
The remarks amount to the strongest public challenge yet from a senior TMC leader against Abhishek Banerjee, who is widely regarded as Mamata Banerjee’s political heir apparent.
Already fragile TMC
Banerjee has not announced his resignation from the party. However, his warning that he would “decide my own” course if Mamata Banerjee backs Abhishek has fuelled speculation about what comes next.
For a party already under pressure over the recent resignations by senior leaders, signs of rebellion among some MPs and MLAs, and speculation over possible political realignments, Kalyan Banerjee's remarks have added to the party's troubles.
However, this is not the first time Banerjee has found himself at the centre of a controversy involving fellow TMC leaders.
In 2025, he was involved in a public spat with party MP Mahua Moitra. The dispute escalated into personal attacks, prompting Mamata Banerjee to publicly express her displeasure and urge leaders to end the infighting.
The episode eventually led to Banerjee stepping down as the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha.
Earlier in April, his uneasy position within the party was highlighted during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address in Parliament. As Banerjee interrupted the speech, Modi remarked to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla: “Arre bhai, inko bolne dijiye, waha par bechare ke muh pe taala laga hua hai. Waha Bengal me koi bolne nahi deta isko. (Let him speak. he has a lock on his mouth since they don't allow him to speak in Bengal).”
The comment quickly gained traction on social media and was widely interpreted as a swipe at the internal dynamics of the TMC.
Why do his comments matter?
Kalyan Banerjee is not just another disgruntled leader. The 69-year-old lawyer-politician has been among Mamata Banerjee’s closest associates for decades.
Within the party, Banerjee is often seen as one of the senior leaders who has been with Mamata Banerjee since the early days of the TMC. In recent years, he has at times appeared at odds with the growing role and influence of Abhishek Banerjee within the party organisation.
A practising advocate at the Calcutta high court since 1981, he has represented the TMC in several politically sensitive legal battles and has often acted as one of the party’s most vocal defenders.
His political journey has also been closely tied to the TMC's rise. After winning an Assembly election in 2001, he later moved to national politics and is now serving his fourth term as the MP from Serampore.
His latest outburst therefore reflects more than a personal feud; it highlights an ongoing struggle between the party’s traditional leadership and its emerging power centre.