Trinamul Congress national general-secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday said the people of Bankura had to “atone for the sins” of voting for the BJP in the past two elections with a stern warning that his organisation would not fight for the rights of an electorate that had dumped the ruling party recently.

“The people of Bankura would certainly atone for the sins they committed by voting for the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the 2021 Assembly elections. If there is a way of atonement, to snatch your rights from Delhi, it is to strengthen the hand of Mamata Banerjee,” said Abhishek while addressing a rally of over 30,000 people in Bankura’s Onda.

Bankura is a district in the Jungle Mahal where Trinamul lagged behind the BJP in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and most of the pockets of the western district are considered BJP bastions even now. The BJP had bagged both Lok Sabha seats — Bankura and Bishnupur — in 2019 and won eight of the dozen Assembly seats there in 2021.

“You turned your face away from us in 2019. You also turned your face from us in 2021. Yes, you have the right to cast your votes in 2023 (the panchayat polls) according to your wish. But if you don’t cast your vote for your own rights, Trinamul would not hit the streets anymore to fight for your demands,” said the Diamond Harbour MP.

The remote block where he addressed the meeting is 151km from Calcutta.

Abhishek, however, mentioned that he was saying those things out of hurt feelings.

The comment of the nephew of chief minister Mamata Banerjee was strongly condemned by leaders in the Opposition, criticising Abhishek for his “obnoxious” behaviour.

Suvendu Adhikari at the public meeting in Kaliaganj, North Dinajpur, on Wednesday Picture by Kousik Sen

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who was at Kaliaganj in North Dinajpur district to attend a public rally, said the comment by Abhishek on atonement for sins was not only an insult to the residents of Bankura but to people of all spheres in Bengal.

“Trinamul will not have to worry about standing by the people after a few months. The party will meet its end by the natural laws of political science. The people of Bankura will never bow before threats such as these. The people have decided to put an end to Trinamul,” said Samik Bhattacharya, the BJP’s chief spokesperson in Bengal.

CPM central committee member Sujan Chakraborty echoed BJP leaders, saying Abhishek had insulted the people of Bankura.

“Abhishek has humiliated those people by saying they had committed sins by simply voting against his party. It is very unfortunate. He should not expect that people of the Jungle Mahal will wait for his endorsement,” Chakraborty said.

Abhishek also said the people of Bankura should cast their votes this time for their rights, not for their religion.

“You voted for the BJP over the issue of the Ram Temple (in Ayodhya). The Ram Temple (is being) built but your rights were not protected. So, I request you to cast your vote for your rights, not religion. 'Jai Sri Ram' slogans would not help you get petrol or a gas cylinder at half price,” he said.

He also assured the people of Bankura that this time the candidates for Trinamul would be chosen by the common people of the area, and the party would start the selection process very soon.

At a time Abhishek issued the war cry to root out the BJP from Bankura, leader of the Opposition Adhikari asked the people to root out the ruling Trinamul from the entire state.