For the first time since a wave of defections and dissidence hit the Trinamool Congress following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections two months ago, party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday dared the rebels to return to the party fold, saying he would resign from all posts within an hour of them doing so.
Abhishek, who is being blamed by the rebels and the turncoats for everything that is wrong with the party – alleged corruption and poll strategy – said, “Those who left the party and are now abusing or blaming me today, I challenge them to return to Didi (TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee). If they do so, I will resign from my party posts within one hour.”
“But they will not do that. They have already struck a deal with the BJP. The arrangement is simple: leave the party, join the rebel camp or the BJP, seek protection from the ED, CBI, and other investigating agencies, and then start blaming and abusing Abhishek Banerjee,” Abhishek, who had been avoiding the media for the past several weeks, told reporters in Kolkata.
With a month of the TMC’s defeat in the Assembly polls, the Mamata Banerjee-led party, which had been in power for 15 years, suffered a series of rebellions – first with 60 of its 80 MLAs breaking away under Ritabarata Banerjee and claiming to be the “real TMC”, and then with 20 Lok Sabha MPs merging with a little-known outfit, Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), and backing the ruling BJP-led NDA at the Centre.
Four Rajya Sabha MPs have since quit, with three being renominated to the Upper House by the BJP in the bypolls.
A majority of the rebels, including Mamata’s closest and oldest aide Madan Mitra, have blamed her nephew, Abhishek, for their decision.
The rebel camp has also laid claim to the party symbol and bank accounts, stating that it is the “real TMC” before the Election Commission of India, a claim the Mamata camp is fiercely resisting.
Referring to Mitra’s exit a day after his wife and sons were summoned by the ED in a jobs scam, Abhishek said, “I also want to say something to those who leave the party the moment they receive a notice from the ED, CBI, or any investigating agency. If you have done nothing wrong, then face the investigation.
“I have been summoned repeatedly by the CID and other agencies. There are so many FIRs against me that I have even asked the High Court to direct the DGP to provide me with the complete list. I have never run away. For us, protection from the ED or the CBI is not important. The only protection that matters is the trust and support of the people. If I ever bow before anyone, I will bow only before the people in a democracy, never before the powerful individuals sitting in Delhi. That is the principle on which I stand,” the Diamond Harbour MP added.
“Those facing serious allegations should not expect political protection by changing sides, because the people will ultimately deliver the final verdict,” he said.
Asserting that he was ready to take responsibility for “any shortcomings”,
Abhishek said he was ready to accommodate any rebels that if they return to the party fold before July 21 – the martyrs’ day rally to mark the 1993 police firing on Congress workers.
“I want to tell everyone who disagrees with me that people are not fools. If I receive credit for the Trinamool’s victory in 2024, then I am equally ready to accept responsibility for any shortcomings. My doors remain open. Anyone who wants to return before the July 21 programme can come back, and I will ensure that they are accommodated. Those facing serious allegations should not expect political protection by changing sides, because the people will ultimately deliver the final verdict,” Abhishek said.
Responding to Abhishek’s challenge, Akhruzzaman, the party’s chief whip in the Assembly and a leader in the rebel Ritabrata Banerjee camp, wondered why it took the MP so long to say this. “We had repeatedly tried to tell Didi that she should choose between her blood relation and her dedicated workers. She chose the former, and now the damage is done,” said Akhruzzaman.
Three days ago, Mamata had publicly backed Abhishek, saying, “They (rebels) blamed Abhishek. It has become a lame excuse. Abhishek’s wife has been called by the (central) agencies. Abhishek has been called by the agencies… He is fighting like a tiger. He is resisting and tolerating it all. There are 25 to 30 cases against him. He could have gone for a setting and gotten relief from it all. But he did not. Those who are on the BJP’s lap have a lot of baggage… Police are going to the leaders and telling them to either join the other camp or go to jail.”
She also had said that those willing to leave the party should do so before the July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally in Kolkata.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar said Abhishek’s comment “lacked credibility”. “He had thrown many such challenges before, but never acted on them. It is up to the TMC leaders to decide whether they will trust his words or not. But I can guarantee this: the TMC will ultimately have no one in its fold except Pishi and Bhaipo (aunt and nephew),” he said.