Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee has demanded that party chief Mamata Banerjee choose between him and her nephew [1].
The public confrontation signals a deepening power struggle within the party, pitting veteran leadership against the rising influence of the party's national general secretary. This rift threatens the internal stability of the TMC in West Bengal.
Banerjee attacked Abhishek Banerjee, labeling him arrogant and blaming his leadership style for the party's current distress [1], [2]. He specifically cited the sidelining of senior leaders and Abhishek Banerjee's alleged involvement in a signature-forgery case as primary drivers of the conflict [1], [3].
During the outburst, Kalyan Banerjee warned the party leadership against disregarding his contributions to the organization. "Don't treat me like a dustbin," he said [1].
The dispute escalated into an open revolt when the MP issued a direct ultimatum to Mamata Banerjee. "Choose me or Abhishek," he said [2].
Other party members have attempted to downplay the severity of the clash. Kirti Azad suggested that while the anger expressed by Kalyan Banerjee is justified, the party chief remains the ultimate authority. "Didi theek kar degi," Azad said, indicating that Mamata Banerjee will set things right [1].
The tension centers on the perceived imbalance of power between the party's established veterans, and the younger generation of leadership. Kalyan Banerjee alleges that the current trajectory of the party is being harmed by the arrogance of the national general secretary [1].
“"Choose me or Abhishek"”
This confrontation highlights a systemic tension within the Trinamool Congress between the party's traditional power base and the centralized authority of Abhishek Banerjee. By forcing Mamata Banerjee to choose, Kalyan Banerjee is testing the party chief's willingness to prioritize veteran loyalty over the grooming of her nephew as a political successor.
