Kalyan Banerjee says, ‘Abhishek is like my son’:Forgiving is father’s duty; earlier asked Mamata to choose between the two

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee said on Saturday that Abhishek Banerjee is like a son to him and that a father’s duty is to forgive his son’s mistakes. Earlier, on 11 June, he had said that Mamata Banerjee would have to choose between him and Abhishek. The remarks came after Abhishek changed his lawyer in a fake signature case on Thursday. Kalyan, who had previously represented him in the matter, criticised Abhishek, saying he does not respect senior leaders and accusing him of arrogance, which he claimed had harmed the party. On Friday, Abhishek responded by saying that Kalyan is older than him and has every right to express his views. He added that Kalyan has known him since childhood, and therefore he would not make any adverse comments about him. Kalyan Banerjee says democracy has ended in West Bengal Kalyan Banerjee said on the split happening in TMC that the rebels will have to take refuge with BJP. He said that this is all a trick. These people make excuses for the development of their areas, but what will those people do who cannot even go to their own areas? He further said that democracy has ended in West Bengal. What development has happened in the last one month even after talking to the Chief Minister? BJP and the police are harassing us. No opposition in West Bengal has ever faced a situation like the one we are facing. Kalyan Banerjee also dismissed reports of a merger between TMC and Congress. He clearly stated that they are not merging with Congress. Bengal Faces Maharashtra-Style Revolt On 20 June 2022, 40 of the 55 Shiv Sena MLAs in Maharashtra sided with Eknath Shinde, triggering a rebellion against then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The Governor ordered a floor test, and although Uddhav approached the Supreme Court, it declined to halt the vote, prompting his resignation. On 30 June 2022, Shinde was sworn in as Chief Minister with BJP support. Both factions then moved the Supreme Court, seeking the disqualification of each other’s MLAs. The court left the matter to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar. On 10 January 2023, the Speaker ruled that the Shinde camp, with 37 MLAs at the time of the rebellion, represented the legitimate Shiv Sena. Petitions seeking the disqualification of the rebel legislators were dismissed, and their memberships remained intact. The Election Commission of India later awarded the Shiv Sena’s ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the Shinde faction. What Could Happen Next After a TMC Split? 9 Key Possibilities Legal battle likely to intensify: The Mamata camp and the rebel faction may seek to establish their legitimacy before the Assembly, the Election Commission and the courts. Anti-defection law to face a major test: Rebel MLAs claim to have the support of two-thirds of legislators, potentially triggering a significant legal dispute over recognition. Further organisational fragmentation possible: More MLAs, MPs and district-level leaders could choose sides, altering the balance of power within both camps. Mamata Banerjee may launch damage-control efforts: The party leadership could attempt to placate disgruntled leaders, restructure the organisation and promote new faces. BJP and Congress likely to watch closely: Opposition parties may seek to capitalise politically on any instability within the TMC. Impact on local body polls and by-elections: A deeper split could weaken the TMC’s organisational strength and affect its vote base in upcoming elections. New party or separate faction may emerge: If reconciliation fails, the rebel camp could form a new political party or establish itself as a permanent faction. INDIA bloc dynamics could be affected: Mamata Banerjee’s influence in national politics and within the INDIA alliance may come under pressure. The biggest question — who owns the TMC? The central battle may ultimately be over control of the party’s name, organisation, election symbol and political legacy. ​