'He Will Not Leave The TMC': Kirti Azad Backs Kalyan Banerjee As Rift With Abhishek Deepens

The internal crisis within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) intensified on Thursday after senior party leader and Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee publicly challenged party chief Mamata Banerjee, asking her to choose between him and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee. His remarks have fuelled fresh speculation about growing divisions within the party, which is already grappling with rebellion among legislators and resignations from senior leaders.

Kirti Azad Rules Out Kalyan Banerjee's Exit

Amid rumours that Kalyan Banerjee could walk away from the party, TMC MP Kirti Azad dismissed the speculation and expressed confidence that the dispute would eventually be resolved.

"Kalyan Banerjee is a fighter, he has been with Didi from the start till now. He will not go anywhere," Azad told ANI.

Describing Kalyan as an emotional individual, Azad said his sentiments deserved consideration and understanding. He maintained that Mamata Banerjee would personally intervene to settle the matter.

"He took Didi's name, she will talk to him. And everything will be sorted," he said.

Azad also acknowledged that Kalyan's frustration stemmed from genuine concerns within the party and said his anger was justified.

Why Kalyan Banerjee Is Angry

The controversy erupted after Kalyan Banerjee announced that he was withdrawing from all legal matters related to Abhishek Banerjee. The senior leader alleged that he was sidelined in a case he had been handling and was not consulted before another writ petition was filed.

According to Kalyan, another lawyer was assigned to the matter without informing him in advance, despite his extensive preparation.

"I spent the night preparing the case. Even today, you can see that I am going everywhere, taking risks and doing my work. Yet their habit of showing disrespect has not changed," he said.

Backing Kalyan's grievance, Kirti Azad said the party should have informed him beforehand if another lawyer was going to take over the case.

"TMC should informed him that the case would be handled by someone else, informing him at the last moment was not right...but Didi will make things right," Azad told ANI.

Sharp Attack On Abhishek Banerjee

While reaffirming his loyalty to Mamata Banerjee, Kalyan launched a direct attack on Abhishek Banerjee, the party's national general secretary. He accused Abhishek of arrogance and suggested that he treats others as inferior.

"I am still with Didi but won't tolerate Abhishek Banerjee's arrogance. I have quit all cases related to Banerjee," Kalyan Banerjee said.

The remarks came shortly after the Calcutta High Court heard a petition filed by Abhishek Banerjee concerning allegations by rebel MLAs that forged signatures had been submitted before the West Bengal Assembly.

Kalyan further warned that if Mamata Banerjee decided to side with her nephew, he would chart his own course politically.

Rebellion And Resignations Add To TMC's Troubles

The latest confrontation comes at a time when the TMC is facing one of its most challenging phases following its defeat in last month's West Bengal Assembly elections.

A major rebellion erupted within the party after 58 of its 80 MLAs revolted against the leadership. While the dissident legislators continued to express respect for Mamata Banerjee, they openly rejected Abhishek Banerjee's leadership role. The rebel camp has been led by expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee, who was later appointed Leader of Opposition.

The crisis widened further this week when TMC leaders Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from both the party and the Rajya Sabha.

In the Lok Sabha as well, signs of division have emerged. TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar recently claimed that she enjoys the support of 19 MPs and indicated a willingness to extend support to the BJP-led NDA, signalling the possibility of a broader split within the party.

As political uncertainty continues to grow, all eyes are now on Mamata Banerjee and whether she can contain the widening cracks threatening to destabilise the Trinamool Congress.