Mamata Banerjee Defends Abhishek Amid TMC Leadership Crisis
Mamata Banerjee publicly supported her nephew Abhishek Banerjee on July 15, 2026, as dissent within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) escalated. She apologised to the public for the actions of defectors and accused the BJP of orchestrating defections using central agencies. Senior MLA Madan Mitra recently left the TMC, citing Abhishek's leadership style as a reason. Mamata dismissed this claim, linking Mitra's exit to an Enforcement Directorate summons involving his family. The TMC is currently facing its most significant organisational crisis since its inception in 1998, with rival factions emerging under Mamata and Ritabrata Banerjee. The split has extended to Parliament, with 20 of the TMC's 28 Lok Sabha MPs aligning with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India and supporting the BJP-led NDA. Separate Martyrs' Day events are planned for July 21, marking a historic division within the party.
Published 2 hours ago • 15 Jul 2026, 07:02 PM IST