The inner conflict within Trinamool Congress (TMC) reared its ugly head again on Wednesday. This time during a meeting chaired by Abhishek Banerjee in North Bengal.

Banerjee, the Diamond Harbour MP, is on a five-day tour to North Bengal, where he is scheduled to sit in several meetings with local leadership and hold rallies.

During one such meeting at the Alipurduar Circuit House, two TMC leaders took to a verbal spat with each other in presence of Banerjee, reported Hindustan Times Bangla.

TMC’s Primary Teacher Organisation’s district secretary Kaushik Sarkar alleged Gargi Narjinari – a member of the party’s primary school administration wing – of anti-party activities.

Narjinari hit back at Sarkar with accusations against him of transferring teachers and administrators at will, leading to a heated confrontation with each other. The incident has again exposed the existing fault lines at every section within TMC.

Reportedly, Banerjee tried to take control of the situation and gave a stern direction to prevail unity at all cost. He refused to listen to the complaints raised by the aggravating parties unless they dropp off their disputes.

Mamata Banerjee’s nephew was presented with a similar situation by two tea garden leaders as well.

Meanwhile, the meeting at the Circuit House was called to encourage TMC’s Alipurduar leadership for thr upcoming West Bengal Assembly Elections. Reportedly, the party is optimistic about five seats in the district.

Banerjee arrived in Siliguri by air and held an internal meeting at Kanyashree, the government guest house within the premises of Uttarkanya on Tuesday. He will return to Kolkata on Friday.

Even though he is set to visit Alipurduar, Jalpesh Mandir and Chalsa in Jalpaiguri and Gangarampur, he will return to Siliguri every day, as per a copy of the instructions issued by the Directorate of Security.

According to sources, Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha leader Bimal Gurung, who has decided to address a public meeting in Kalimpong on 7 January, today arrived in Siliguri, while he may also meet Banerjee tomorrow to discuss plans for the elections. Appearing after over three years in hiding, Mr Gurung has decided to support the TMC in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

On Thursday, he is scheduled to hold a meeting at the Buniadpur Circuit House in South Dinajpur and address a public rally at Gangarampur to “revive” his organizational leaders and workers after BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya held meetings in Malda and S Dinajpur.