A heated dispute between Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs Mahua Moitra and Kalyan Banerjee created major internal conflicts within the party when it occurred at the Election Commission of India office in April 2023. The TMC delegation traveling to the Election Commission of India (ECI) office in Delhi faced a confrontation on April 4 regarding duplication of voter ID numbers outside its premises.

During the Commission presentation, the delegation split into two groups when Moitra accused Banerjee of secretlyremoving her name from the addressed memorandum. Several eyewitnesses observed the situation taking a tense turn as people started shouting and arguing emotionally during the dispute.

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: On a video shared by BJP leader Amit Malviya of alleged 'public spat' between TMC MPs, TMC MP Saugata Roy says, "The WhatsApp chats of the party being leaked is unfortunate. The language used by Kalyan Banerjee is unfortunate. I hope that the party… pic.twitter.com/88gASJ5W6T

— ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2025

“He Was Abusive”: Moitra Breaks Down Post-Spat

Senior TMC leader Saugata Roy witnessed how disturbed Moitra became after the contentious incident. During his media interview, Roy told reporters that Moitra showed signs of tears after meeting with Banerjee, who behaved in unacceptable and abusive ways. She approached security staff because her emotional state prompted her to ask that Banerjee be expelled from the premises. Roy observed Moitra crying while she shared her experience with multiple MP.

Not the First Time: Past Incidents Resurface

Roy emphasized that such destructive behavior by Banerjee was not a unique occurrence. He recounted an instance when Banerjee allegedly used a broken bottle to threaten him during the meeting. The individual lacks the ability to maintain self-control of his anger. The position of chief whip does not fit his abilities, according to Roy.

Roy officially requested that Banerjee be eliminated from the Lok Sabha party leader role after multiple instances of disruptive and disrespectful behavior.

BJP Pounces: Screenshots and Video Go Viral

Internal strife within the party quickly spread to the public domain. The head of the BJP IT cell, Amit Malviya, shared a visual and alleged party documents with both Moitra's confrontational approach to Banerjee and the subsequent aftermath. While outside parties have yet to confirm the screenshots' originality, the leaked screenshot images strengthen political discussions about TMC's internal disputes.

Internal communications showed Moitra telling Banerjee to stay within her specified boundaries, thus displaying how critical the rift became.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee won’t stop at anything. He hits back at his senior colleague Saugata Roy after Roy claimed that Banerjee is damaging TMC’s public image. In a sharp retort, Kalyan calls Roy a man with ‘no character,’ labelling him a ‘chor’ in reference to the Narada case.… pic.twitter.com/5LrNexOLGL

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 8, 2025

A Party Under Pressure

The TMC finds itself in an unfavorable situation with this controversy occurring. India is entering an election cycle, so the party aims to showcase its unified appearance and powerful presence. The open nature of this dispute caused people to doubt how unified and disciplined the TMC organization remains. The TMC leadership has avoided commenting on the issue as growing public pressure demands disciplinary action.

According to political analysts, addressing this dispute is essential for TMC because failure to do so will damage the party’s public image and potentially impacting its election results.

What’s Next for the TMC?

People across the nation currently observe the behavior of the party's highest-ranking officials. Will Mamata Banerjee plan to act as an intermediary to establish peace in the party? The internal tensions—will they continue to disrupt the party, or will Mamata Banerjee resolve the conflict?

The public expression of emotions by Mahua Moitra, together with Saugata Roy's announcement, has shifted a personal dispute into a national news story. The TMC faces an important choice between holding onto the current structure or performing internal purges.