# Suvendu Adhikari Visits Kali Puja Hosted by Mamata Banerjee's Estranged Brother The political visit to Harish Chatterjee Street highlights growing tensions within the Banerjee family. - **Source:** [NDTV – India](https://www.ndtv.com/india) - **Published:** 2026-11-10 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/5ef88882-2e4b-4d43-9996-a5c20220edee ## High-Profile Neighborhood Visit Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited Harish Chatterjee Street in Kolkata during the Kali Puja celebrations. This marked his first visit to the area since assuming his current office. The neighborhood, historically associated with former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saw residents gathering to welcome Adhikari as he toured various local festival pandals. ## Warm Welcome by Babun Swapan 'Babun' Banerjee, the younger brother of Mamata Banerjee, warmly welcomed Adhikari at a Kali Puja event. Babun garlanded the Chief Minister and publicly referred to him as his mentor. He explicitly expressed his desire to see Adhikari serve as Chief Minister again, reinforcing his ongoing political alignment with the BJP. ## Constituency Responsibility Claim When questioned about the visit to Mamata Banerjee's home turf, Adhikari maintained a formal stance. He stated that Harish Chatterjee Street falls within his Bhawanipur constituency. Consequently, he argued that participating in local festivities is a core responsibility of his role as the area's elected MLA, rather than a purely political maneuver. ## Deepening Family Rifts The public interaction highlights a long-standing distance between Babun Banerjee and his sister, Mamata Banerjee. Reports indicate this rift began well before the previous assembly elections. Babun has previously expressed intentions to join the BJP, consistently maintaining his support for the party despite his familial ties to the Trinamool Congress leadership. ## TMC Official Response Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh addressed the visit by clarifying the party's position on Babun Banerjee. Ghosh stated that Mamata Banerjee disowned her brother long ago due to multiple complaints regarding his conduct. He emphasized that the two individuals do not reside together and are no longer part of the same family circle. ## Allegations of Poster Removal Controversy emerged following the visit regarding the management of public space on Harish Chatterjee Street. Kunal Ghosh alleged that police forcibly removed banners and posters featuring images of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee ahead of the Chief Minister's arrival. This claim adds a layer of administrative tension to the ongoing political rivalry. ## Symbolic Political Significance The event serves as a public display of the political fragmentation within the Banerjee family. By visiting the club associated with Babun, Adhikari effectively utilized local cultural events to signal his influence in a traditionally opposition-held area. This move underscores the strategic importance of local constituency engagement in West Bengal's volatile political landscape. ## Future Electoral Implications Observers are now questioning how this neighborhood visit might influence future local elections in the Bhawanipur constituency. The open support from a family member of a rival leader provides the BJP with a unique narrative tool. The long-term impact of this public alignment remains a subject of intense speculation among local political analysts. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/suvendu-adhikari-visits-kali-puja-of-mamata-banerjees-estranged-brother-12309736#publisher=newsstand — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._