Kalighat TMC vs Ritabrata TMC on Shaheed Diwas stage; both exchange sharp barbs

Deep factional divisions within the Trinamool Congress played out publicly on July 21 as rival camps held parallel rallies at Mayo Road and Cathedral Road. Speaking from the Mayo Road venue, Ritabrata Banerjee criticized past Martyrs' Day events for being run like "reality shows" centered around television and film stars rather than dedicated political activists. He further alleged that party workers traveling from various districts to join his rally were attacked, threatened, and forced to turn back.

Addressing the Cathedral Road gathering, Abhishek Banerjee launched a scathing attack against party defectors, stating that treachery cannot halt the party's momentum and urging party supreme Mamata Banerjee not to readmit those who left. In sharp contrast, Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra spoke from the Mayo Road stage to challenge Mamata Banerjee directly, giving her a one-month ultimatum to leave Abhishek Banerjee's side and align with the "real Trinamool," claiming her judgment had been clouded by filial affection.

The parallel events highlighted clear line-drawn loyalties among senior leaders, with Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Kumar attending Mamata Banerjee's rally on Cathedral Road alongside MP Kalyan Banerjee. High drama was also witnessed during the proceedings when Kalyan Banerjee left the stage in visible anger following a brief confrontation over his speech duration. Other prominent figures, including Firhad Hakim, Anubrata Mondal, and Chandrima Bhattacharya, were actively involved across the respective stages.