Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday, 30 June revived and relaunched his outreach initiative 'Ek Dake Abhishek' (One Call Away Abhishek), this time specifically to channel legal assistance to party workers he describes as persecuted in the wake of West Bengal's post-election political violence. A dedicated helpline number — 7887778877 — has been activated alongside the programme.

What the Initiative Covers

Banerjee announced the programme through his official social media handles, where a post stated: 'Contact us for any legal assistance to facilitate the homeless, oppressed, and workers involved in false cases for political purposes due to BJP's atrocities in the post-election violence.' The initiative is positioned as a direct legal lifeline for workers who claim they have been displaced or implicated in what the party calls politically motivated cases.

This is not the first time the programme has been deployed. After the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, 'Ek Dake Abhishek' was originally launched for the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency — Banerjee's own seat — before being expanded statewide. The current relaunch, however, comes under sharply different political circumstances: the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) now leads the state government, altering the power dynamics that originally underpinned the scheme.

BJP's Response and Counterclaims

BJP leaders have categorically denied any organised role in attacks on TMC workers. The party has stated that if any BJP member's involvement in violence is substantiated, police have been instructed to act against them. The BJP has also framed the TMC's allegations as politically motivated, countering that its own workers faced violence in the post-poll period.

Rebel TMC Voices Add a Third Dimension

The relaunch has drawn pointed criticism not just from the BJP but from within the TMC's own rebel camp. Akhruzzaman, the Chief Whip of the rebel Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party in the state Assembly and MLA from Raghunathganj in Murshidabad district, said: 'If the workers could get the party on their side by calling, then there would be no need for the organisation. By calling and holding online meetings, he has finished the Trinamool. If you want to stand by the workers, you have to reach out to them. We will do that.'

Ritabrata Banerjee, who assumed the role of Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly with the backing of rebel MLAs, was equally sharp: 'Let the money, which was misused to avail a chartered plane, be now used to help the workers in their distress.' His remark alludes to reported controversies over Abhishek Banerjee's travel expenditures, adding a financial accountability dimension to the political row.

Context and What Comes Next

TMC leaders have, in multiple forums since the change of government, alleged that their workers are being attacked and forced to abandon their homes. The rebel faction, however, argues that it broke away precisely to stand with those same workers — claiming the party leadership under Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee had become 'corrupt' and unresponsive. The competing claims of victimhood — from the ruling TMC faction, the BJP, and the TMC rebels — reflect the deeply fractured political landscape in Bengal. Whether the helpline translates into on-ground legal relief, or remains largely symbolic, is expected to become a key test of Abhishek Banerjee's organisational reach in opposition.