Mamata skips Bhai Phonta celebrations; her brother joins rebel camp, praises Suvendu

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday (November 11, 2026) skipped the Bhai Phonta festivities at her residence, breaking a tradition going back several years when leaders of her party would make a beeline to seek her blessing.

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Celebrated as Bhai Dooj in other parts of India, sisters apply a tika on their brothers’ foreheads as a mark of love, and pray for their long and healthy lives. Ms. Banerjee, who is also called ‘ Didi’ (elder sister), would offer the tilak to a number of her party leaders and supporters.

“Mamata di is not observing Bhai Phonta. She did not observe Bijoya [Vijayadasami] before. She will not observe Bhai Phonta this time either. In light of the attacks, terror, police brutality and arrests on false charges that TMC [Trinamool Congress] workers have faced since the elections, @MamataOfficial did not observe Bijoya this time,” Mamata All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

“Since the family’s Kali Puja could not be cancelled, Ms. Banerjee performed the puja for the goddess. But she will not hold any Bhai Phonta ceremony. Anyone may come to see her. But Didi will not hold a Bhai Phonta ceremony this time,” Mr. Ghosh said.

While some of Ms. Banerjee’s supporters gathered at her residence, most of her erstwhile loyalists, who have since deserted her, were conspicuous by their absence. AITC leader and Sreerampur MP Kalyan Banerjee, who visited her residence, criticised the “opportunists who would come during Bhai Phonta” when she was in power. The Chief Minister had raised her brothers all by herself, the MP said.

The remarks by came in the context of Ms. Banerjee’s youngest brother, Swapan Banerjee, meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday (November 11, 2026) evening. Mr. Swapan Banerjee was seen touching Mr. Adhikari’s feet and heaping praise on the Chief Minister. Mr. Adhikari had visited Kalighat to participate in a Kali Puja organised by locals. Mr. Swapan Banerjee also said that he would not attend Bhai Phonta at his sister’s residence.

On Wednesday (November 11, 2026) , Mr. Swapan Banerjee joined the leaders of the party’s rebel faction, who held a Bhai Phonta event at the office of the Democratic Trinamool Congress (DTP). Leaders of the DTP, including Ritabrata Banerjee and Madan Mitra, were present when the former Chief Minister’s brother joined them. Chandrima Bhattacharya, a former Minister in Ms. Banerjee’s Cabinet, was seen offering Bhai Phonta to leaders of the rebel TMC faction.