'I don't like Abhishek's arrogance, he destroyed TMC': Kalyan Banerjee's ultimatum to Mamata 

As the Trinamool Congress battles one of its biggest internal crises, senior MP and advocate Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday launched a blistering attack on party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

Banerjee, who has remained loyal to Mamata Banerjee even as reports of a major rebellion within the party swirl, issued an ultimatum to the West Bengal Chief Minister: choose between him and her nephew.

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"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 he humiliate me? I am senior to him in politics as well. He cannot do this," Kalyan Banerjee said.

The outburst came after the Calcutta High Court granted Abhishek Banerjee interim protection from arrest in a signature forgery case and directed him to appear before the West Bengal CID by Thursday evening.

Kalyan Banerjee alleged that he was dropped as counsel at the last moment in both the forgery case and a connected CID search operation case, a move he described as deeply insulting.

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"I am with Mamata Di, but she needs to choose now. It is too humiliating. At midnight, I was told the lawyer had been changed. He doesn't know how to respect seniors. Abhishek never trusted me, and he will never trust me. Who is he? Such an arrogant person. For him, the party has been destroyed," he told India Today.

The veteran MP said he had challenged the CID search operation conducted at Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kolkata while she was in Delhi. However, before the hearing, he was informed that another lawyer, Kishore Datta, would represent the matter.

According to Banerjee, his son informed him late on Wednesday night that he was no longer required to appear in the forgery case. "At 12:30 last night, my son got a call, and he was informed that junior advocate Ayan would argue this case. I have clearly said I will not stay with him (Abhishek). I have been in this profession for 45 years. I will not accept such arrogant behaviour. I will tell Mamata didi - either keep Abhishek and let us go, or keep us and remove Abhishek," he said.

Banerjee also blamed Abhishek for the party's current troubles. "He needs to understand that it is because of him that we lost. He also needs to understand that the party is facing this crisis because of him. I cannot tolerate disrespect. I will urge Didi: if you will remain dependent on Abhishek Banerjee, then stick with him-leave me. But if you part ways with Abhishek Banerjee, then I am with you. He has destroyed our party," he said.

The TMC is facing mounting turmoil as around 20 MPs are preparing to form a rebel bloc and extend support to the NDA. Adding to the pressure, Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from the Upper House on Thursday, becoming the third TMC MP to quit this week.

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev have also resigned as TMC's Rajya Sabha MPs.