Senior TMC leader and MP Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday issued an ultimatum to its supremo Mamata Banerjee to choose between her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and veterans like him, accusing the party national general secretary of “arrogance” and “fluctuating mindset”.
Kalyan, also a senior advocate, declared he would remove himself from all legal matters and court petitions concerning Abhishek, although the MP said he would continue contesting cases related to the TMC party.
The rift between the two leaders came to a tipping point after Kalyan – who had been representing Abhishek in the Calcutta High Court in a signature forgery case of the CID – was allegedly informed that a separate writ petition was filed by the Diamond Harbour MP with regard to the search operations conducted by the agency at the TMC office at Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence and Abhishek’s Camac Street office.
“The two cases are connected, and I had mentioned the search operation issue before the bench who was hearing the signature forgery matter. The judge had listed the matter to be heard on Thursday. Later, some emissaries of Abhishek came to me to say that a separate writ has been filed on the CID raid issue. I was taken aback since I had no knowledge of it,” Kalyan told reporters.
The advocate alleged that when he asked why he wasn’t taken into confidence, they told him that it was done “on directions from the top”.
“Had I known about this, I wouldn’t have mentioned the matter before the judge because two separate benches cannot hear the same matter. Abhishek has many advisors, and so I have told the party I would not represent him in any court cases in future, as it is impossible to deal with such arrogance and fluctuating mindset. I was later informed that a junior lawyer would contest his cases,” Kalyan said.
The Lok Sabha MP from Sreerampur lashed out at Abhishek , alleging that the latter showed “no respect” for his “45-year professional experience”.
“I am not to be treated like a dustbin or an employee of his Camac Street office,” Kalyan asserted.
Kalyan said the ball is now in Mamata Banerjee’s court to decide on whether to run the TMC with her nephew or with party loyalists like him.
“I will remain in this party only if Abhishek is removed from all leadership positions and retained only as an ordinary worker. Abhishek, who misbehaves with seniors and has an attitude of a boss, cannot be my leader in the party. It will not be possible for me to remain in the TMC, if he remains the leader,” Kalyan said.
“Didi (Mamata Banerjee) must take the final call on whether she will retain her blood relative or workers like me who have put in 40 years of our lives for her and this party,” he added.
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