NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress MP and Mamata Banerjee loyalist Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday issued a stark ultimatum to the party supremo, asserting that she must decide between supporting her nephew Abhishek Banerjee or senior party workers like himself.
Ultimatum to Mamata
Speaking to IANS, the four-time Lok Sabha MP and senior advocate stated, 'I am with Mamata Banerjee, but Didi will have to decide if she is with Abhishek or the TMC. Mamata di has to decide first. If she cannot run the party without Abhishek, then I will not be there.'
In a separate conversation with PTI, Kalyan Banerjee elaborated, 'I told Derek to tell Mamata: choose between Abhishek Banerjee or a worker like me.'
Growing Tensions Within TMC
The sharp remarks come amid escalating internal strife within the Trinamool Congress following the party's recent electoral setbacks in West Bengal and signs of growing unrest among its ranks.
The senior advocate also announced that he would no longer represent Abhishek Banerjee in legal matters. This decision came after Abhishek filed a petition challenging a summons issued by the West Bengal CID in the legislators' signature mismatch case. On Thursday, Abhishek was represented by advocate Ayan Bhattacharya before the vacation bench of Justice Kaushik Chanda in the Calcutta High Court.
Allegations of Disrespect
Explaining his decision, Kalyan Banerjee alleged that Abhishek had repeatedly shown disrespect towards him despite his efforts to secure an urgent hearing. 'I have decided to refrain from any legal matters concerning Abhishek Banerjee. His continuing arrogance is unimaginable. Yesterday, I raised his matter at the bench of Justice Chanda and pleaded for an urgent hearing. Accordingly, Thursday was fixed as the date of hearing. But last night, he called up my son and said that some other advocate, who is much junior to me in the legal profession, will represent him at the hearing on Thursday,' Kalyan Banerjee told reporters.
Sharp Attack on Abhishek
The TMC MP launched a scathing attack on Abhishek Banerjee, accusing him of arrogance and a lack of respect for senior leaders. 'He thinks everyone is beneath him, as if everyone is merely an employee from Camac Street. I have been in this profession for 45 years. Who does not know me as a senior advocate? Leave aside this court, even in the Supreme Court people know me. But he has become so arrogant... does not respect anyone. That is why I have stepped aside,' he said.
Kalyan Banerjee also alleged that he had spent considerable time preparing the case only to learn later that another lawyer had been engaged. '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 added.
