TMC leadership row cools as Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee stress party unity

Amid internal strain in the Trinamool Congress, Abhishek Banerjee sought to lower tensions with senior MP Kalyan Banerjee, saying the veteran had the right to criticise him. Kalyan reciprocated, calling for unity among TMC leaders as they focus on opposing the BJP. The exchange signals a brief easing after sharp public remarks.

Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday signalled a truce with senior MP Kalyan Banerjee. Abhishek Banerjee said Kalyan Banerjee could criticise without sparking more rows. Kalyan Banerjee then welcomed the remarks and urged party unity. The exchange came amid visible unrest inside the ruling party after major recent setbacks.

The softer tone came less than a day after a sharp public attack by Kalyan Banerjee. Kalyan Banerjee had accused Abhishek Banerjee of arrogance and issued a warning aimed at Mamata Banerjee. Kalyan Banerjee also said Kalyan Banerjee would step away from court matters linked to Abhishek Banerjee.

TMC rift eases as Abhishek Banerjee addresses Kalyan Banerjee

"Kalyan Banerjee has seen me grow up. He is a senior leader of the party. He has every right to say a few harsh words to me. There is no reason to create unnecessary controversy over it,\" Abhishek told reporters while leaving Mamata Banerjees Kalighat residence after a meeting of the partys top leadership.

Kalyan Banerjee responded soon after and accepted the outreach. Kalyan Banerjee also framed the dispute as a mistake that needed correction. \"I welcome his statement. He is just like my son. It is good that he has understood his mistake. All of us have to work and fight together against the BJP.\"

TMC leadership meeting at Mamata Banerjee residence amid dissent

The remarks followed a closed-door meeting chaired by Mamata Banerjee at the Kalighat residence. Abhishek Banerjee attended along with Derek OBrien, Madan Mitra, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. Kalyan Banerjee did not attend, which added to talk of a widening split inside the party.

Kalyan Banerjee’s absence drew attention because it followed a dispute tied to a legal matter. The trigger was the assembly signature forgery case. Kalyan Banerjee was expected to represent Abhishek Banerjee in the Calcutta High Court. Kalyan Banerjee then withdrew, without giving a public reason at that time.

TMC internal crisis deepens after parliamentary revolt and MLAs split

On Monday, 20 Lok Sabha MPs led by chief whip Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed to have written to Speaker Om Birla. The group sought recognition as a separate bloc backing the BJP-led NDA. The step pointed to a rare fracture within the party’s parliamentary wing and raised fresh questions for leaders.

In the West Bengal Assembly, a larger rupture appeared last week. Fifty-eight of the party’s 80 MLAs backed expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition. The party leadership had named Sovandeb Chattopadhyay for that role. The move added to pressure after the party’s heavy defeat in recent assembly elections.

Political observers said Abhishek Banerjee’s response aimed to stop another dispute from growing into a wider crisis. Kalyan Banerjee’s role also made the clash stand out. Kalyan Banerjee had long defended the party line in Parliament. Kalyan Banerjee had also been reinstated as TMC chief whip after stepping down last year.

For years, Kalyan Banerjee served as a key political and legal trouble-shooter for the party. Kalyan Banerjee often took on opposition leaders during difficult phases for the TMC. That history made the public attack on Abhishek Banerjee more disruptive for party workers. Many leaders had until then criticised Abhishek Banerjee only in private.

The parallel rebellions have pushed the party into what some called its deepest crisis since 1998. The unrest has raised issues around authority, succession and control of organisation work. Against this background, the exchange between Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee suggested an attempt to limit damage while tensions continue.

With inputs from PTI