TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee has asked party chief Mamata Banerjee to choose between him and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee [1].
The public ultimatum signals a deepening internal rift within the Trinamool Congress, potentially threatening the party's stability in West Bengal.
Banerjee issued the demand from Kolkata, citing a personal and professional fallout with Abhishek Banerjee [2]. He said he was fired as Abhishek Banerjee's lawyer at the last minute [3].
This sudden dismissal prompted the MP to speak out against the party's national general secretary. Banerjee said that Abhishek Banerjee is "arrogant and disrespectful" [2].
The conflict comes as the party faces wider internal instability. A rebel faction within the TMC claims to have the support of 64 MLAs [4].
Banerjee's demand for the party chief to "choose your side" marks an open revolt against the leadership style of Abhishek Banerjee [2]. The move places Mamata Banerjee in a difficult position, as she must now navigate a public dispute between a veteran MP and her nephew, who holds a senior party position [1].
“"I was fired as Abhishek Banerjee's lawyer at the last minute."”
This public confrontation indicates that personal grievances are now intersecting with structural power struggles within the Trinamool Congress. By forcing Mamata Banerjee to pick a side, Kalyan Banerjee is leveraging his position to challenge the rising influence of Abhishek Banerjee. If the claims of support from 64 MLAs are accurate, the party may face a significant legislative crisis that could weaken its governance in West Bengal.
