Mamata Banerjee with Abhishek Banerjee at a Public Event (File Photo) Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday challenged his dissidents who severed ties with the Mamata Banerjee wing of the embattled party to return, and offered to resign within an hour if they did. Abhishek was responding to a question on the ever-increasing defections from the TMC in the aftermath of its assembly poll debacle, leaving Mamata Banerjee hanging by a thread as far as her control over the party, its symbol and funds are concerned and drastically reducing her strength in Parliament. “Those who left the party and are now abusing or blaming me today, I challenge them to return to Didi. If they do, I will resign from my party post within one hour,” the Diamond Harbour MP said. “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,” he added. He dared the dissident leaders to face the investigating agencies instead of turning their backs on Mamata Banerjee. “I also want to say something to those who leave their 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," Banerjee said. Noting that he has been summoned repeatedly by the CID and other agencies, and a number of FIRs have been registered against him, the TMC leader said he did not 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,” he added. Abhishek argued that he was ready to accept responsibility for the 2026 poll defeat only if he is credited with the party’s victory in the parliamentary polls in 2024 when the party won 29 of the 42 seats it contested. “Anyone who wants to return before the July 21 rally 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,” he said. Abhishek’s offer, interestingly, came shortly after TMC MP and Mamata Banerjee loyalist Kalyan Banerjee declared that if any of the deserters are accommodated back, he will quit Trinamool Congress. “I have told Didi (Mamata) that not one of these leaders, who turned their back on her, should be allowed re-entry. If they are allowed to come back, now or in the future, then I will be the first to quit this party,” Kalyan said at a TMC workers’ preparatory meeting in Bankura for the July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally. Responding to Abhishek’s challenge, Akhruzzaman, the party’s chief whip in the assembly and a leader in the 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.