TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday said no “traitor” who crossed over to rival factions to “save their backs” would be allowed to return to the party, though he acknowledged that party supremo Mamata Banerjee would have the final say.
According to a PTI report, while addressing a rally organised to mark the foundation day of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the party's student wing, Banerjee also underlined the importance of “youth power” in changing the course of national politics and said student protests had forced the “Delhi zamindars” to bow before their might.
“Although our supreme leader Mamata Banerjee has the final say on the matter, I say this with utmost conviction: Not a single traitor who flourished under the TMC and left the hands of our workers in these testing times to save their backs will be allowed to return to our party,” he said, endorsing an earlier appeal made by party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.
“Those who joined the ‘BC’ (Balish-Chata, literally ‘pillow-licking’, referring to the Ritabrata Banerjee-led dissident faction in the state Assembly) group to protect themselves and are now enjoying perks from the BJP would receive no concessions from us in future,” he added.
Banerjee's remarks came days after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla issued notices to 20 rebel TMC MPs who had merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
The MPs have been asked to respond within seven days to a disqualification petition filed by Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee under the anti-defection provisions of the Constitution.
The notices were issued on Tuesday, coinciding with the Supreme Court's decision to issue notices to the MPs in connection with Banerjee's plea seeking a time-bound direction to the Speaker to decide on their disqualification.
At the rally, Banerjee also launched a veiled attack on the BJP, stressing the role of students in opposing “anti-people policies” of governments at the Centre and in the states.
“The country has entered such a phase where students' agitations have rocked the nation. The zamindars of Delhi have been practically forced to bow their heads before the might of students and youth,” he said.
Banerjee was referring to the recent protests by the “Cockroach Janta Party” over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and the subsequent resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
“This was a result of the curse on the party which stole votes to gain power in Bengal. The poll results in the state were declared on May 4, and on May 15 the Cockroach Janata Party was formed,” he said.
Challenging the BJP's top leadership and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Banerjee said, “If you have the courage, first stand face-to-face with the students and youth and fight them.”
He also attacked the police and municipal authorities over Thursday's removal of a billboard at the TMC office on Camac Street.
Warning the BJP, he said, “Inflict only as much oppression as you are capable of enduring.”
“The Trinamool Congress would not bow down even if the CBI, ED, CID, STF and state police were deployed against it simultaneously,” he said.
Banerjee also compared welfare schemes under the previous TMC government with those of the current BJP dispensation, claiming that Mamata Banerjee's “single-engine” government had assisted more beneficiaries than the “double-engine” state and central governments.
“The Mamata Banerjee government gave Lakshmir Bhandar assistance to 2.5 crore women in West Bengal, while the BJP dispensation is struggling to provide Annapurna Yojana benefits to 1.5 crore beneficiaries,” he said.
The BJP government in West Bengal launched the Annapurna Yojana to provide a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 to eligible women, replacing the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme introduced by the previous TMC government, which provided monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500.
Banerjee also alleged that the BJP government had also removed 75 lakh Yuvashree beneficiaries and one crore women from the lists.
Referring to Adhikari's claim of winning “208” seats, Banerjee recalled former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's 2006 remark, “We are 235, they are 30”, and said the CPI(M)'s arrogance at the time was followed by its defeat within five years.
“In the same way, the beginning of the BJP's end had already arrived, and five years from now, they will not be found even with a telescope,” he said.
Banerjee also dismissed speculation in a section of the media that he had fled the country.
“Do not believe anything until you see my dead body and the twin-flower flag (TMC's electoral symbol) over it. Jab tak main mara nahin, tab tak main hara nahin,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
