Will leave if Mamata Banerjee cannot run party without Abhishek: Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee

Senior TMC MP and advocate Kalyan Banerjee has issued a stark ultimatum to Mamata Banerjee to choose between him and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, citing humiliation and "arrogance" after being abruptly replaced as Abhishek's legal counsel in a high-profile court case

Kolkata: Amid the widening rift within the Trinamool Congress, MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday attacked party General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee for his “arrogance” and “misbehaviour” and warned he could quit if party supremo Mamata Banerjee felt that she could not run it without her nephew.

Kalyan Banerjee’s outburst came after he was allegedly not informed about a separate petition filed by another lawyer in the Diamond Harbour MP’s case before the Calcutta High Court.

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Speaking to IANS, Kalyan Banerjee described the sequence of events that led to his ire.

A petition by Abhishek Banerjee had challenged the summons to him by the West Bengal Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the legislators’ signature mismatch case and also sought interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest.

“Yesterday, I mentioned the matter before the court and said that the case requires an urgent hearing. The court said that the matter would be taken up tomorrow (Thursday). Around 12.30, one lawyer came and said that another petition had been filed regarding search and seizure. How can you file it without consulting me?” Kalyan Banerjee said.

The senior advocate was left furious after he was apparently not consulted, despite representing Abhishek Banerjee in the case. “I was told that this matter has been filed and that it will be argued by Kishore Dutt. I said, ‘Let him argue, I don’t mind’. Then all this matter should be handled by one person,” he said.

“Let him take the matter, I am not interested in appearing. I should not be treated as a dustbin. The whole day, nothing was informed to me. I got myself prepared till yesterday night. Around 12:30, my son received a message that Kalyan Banerjee is not required anymore.”

The Trinamool leader said that the lawyers who have now been appointed to argue in Abhishek Banerjee’s case have all worked under him as juniors.

“Is this the respect for a senior lawyer? It is a great humiliation for me. His (Abhishek’s) arrogant attitude has destroyed the entire party. He should understand that. His misbehaviour has destroyed everything.”

Further sharpening the attack, Kalyan Banerjee said: “He (Abhishek) thinks of himself as a king, even in the bad days. Meanwhile, I have stood for the party, behind Mamata Banerjee, during the bad days.”

He asked Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee to decide the future course of action, saying: “It is impossible for me to work because of this arrogant attitude of Abhishek Banerjee. Now let ‘Didi’ (Mamata Banerjee) decide what should be done.”

However, Kalyan Banerjee maintained that he still supports the former CM.

“I am with Mamata Banerjee. But Mamata Di has to choose between me and Abhishek. She has to decide first. Mamata Di has to first decide that if she cannot move the party without Abhishek Banerjee, then I will not be there,” he said.