Kolkata: Amid the wave of desertions and revolts, senior Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee had stood steadfastly with cornered Trinamool Congress chief and former three-time chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
The dynamic changed dramatically on Thursday afternoon. A furious Kalyan, who is also a senior advocate, launched a scathing attack on the TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek, and warned Mamata that if she chose to back her nephew, he would be forced to take “other decisions”.
“He’s such an arrogant person. One must understand that it’s because of Abhishek Banerjee that the party has been destroyed today. Everybody is saying this and he should understand that,” Kalyan told mediapersons.
“Mamata di has to decide… if she cannot move the party (forward) without Abhishek, then I will not be there. It’s either me or Abhishek,” Kalyan thundered.
What was the provocation which infuriated Kalyan suddenly?
Kalyan, who was representing Abhishek in the CID summons-related matter in Calcutta High Court, claimed that a separate writ petition had been filed through another lawyer with informing him.
The writ petition was regarding searches conducted by CID teams at Abhishek’s office as well as Mamata’s central party office at her residence two days ago when the TMC leaders were in Delhi.
Kalyan announced that he will not be fighting any case on behalf of Abhishek in future.
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: TMC MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee says, “…I will not appear for Abhishek Banerjee in any case because I do not like his arrogant attitude. I have spent 45 years in this profession; all these people have worked with me as juniors. How can… pic.twitter.com/U7yBIXDdqP
— ANI (@ANI) June 11, 2026
“This CID-related matter was filed earlier… Last Friday, there was a vacation bench, and I waited the entire day, but the matter was not taken up. I mentioned it before the court, and the judge said the matter would be heard on Wednesday. Then, on Tuesday, there were searches conducted at his (Abhishek’s) residence on Camac Street and also at Didi’s office. I returned from Delhi and went to where the CID team has arrived. I was present during the search,” Kalyan told the media.
“Yesterday (Wednesday) morning, I mentioned the matter before Justice Kaushik Chanda, saying that it was urgent. I told him that the search was illegal… the matter needed to be heard. The judge told me that the matter would be heard that day itself. Around 12.30 pm, a lawyer informed me that a separate writ petition had been filed regarding the search and that a senior lawyer would be handling it. I asked, ‘If you had already filed this matter, why didn’t you discuss it with us? This is completely illegal’,” Kalyan said.
“After that, nobody said anything the entire day. 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 (Abhishek) thinks everyone is his subordinate, as if everyone is merely an employee from Camac Street,” Kalyan fumed.
The Lok Sabha MP from Sreerampore said that he had been humiliated after being in this profession for four decades.
“Who does not know me as a senior advocate? Is there anyone? How long have I been practising? Leave aside this court, even in the Supreme Court people know me. But he (Abhishek) has become so arrogant… does not respect anyone. That is why I have stepped aside. This morning I told Didi: ‘choose between me and Abhishek Banerjee’,” Kalyan said, further saying that Abhishek never trusted him right from 2022.
“I was with Mamata Di during the bad days of the party. Even now, I am with Mamata Di. But she has to choose whether she wants to keep Abhishek Banerjee or me,” Kalyan said.
“I leave it to her wisdom. Whatever she decides is all right. But if she says the party cannot run without Abhishek Banerjee, then I will have to take my own decision,” he added.
VIDEO | Kolkata: TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee refuses from appearing on behalf of the party’s general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee in the Calcutta High Court in a case, says, “This CID-related matter was actually filed earlier. They had filed it first. On Friday, there was a… pic.twitter.com/7YetabSZET
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 11, 2026