Two days after Trinamool Congress (TMC) rebel leader Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the cabinet, Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee targeted the heavyweight leader in his first rally on Sunday. electoral, even when TMC held two rallies in the Adhikari territory in the east. Midnapore.
Elections to the assembly will be held in West Bengal during the first half of next year.
“Mamata Banerjee wasn’t made in a day. Do not belittle her. Many people gave their lives for the TMC. No TMC worker went up in an elevator or parachuted down, ”Banerjee said during an aggressive speech in his Diamond Harbor constituency.
“If I had parachuted I would have had 35 wallets. I would have disputed the polls in southern Kolkata, where I live. The game sent me to Diamond Harbor, where I had to start from scratch, ”he said.
Although Banerjee did not name anyone, it was clear who his target was, as it was Adhikari who, while addressing a rally in East Midnapore on November 10, said: “Everyone knows me as someone who worked on the ground. I neither went up in the elevator nor did I parachute down ”.
By the way, Adhikari is known for holding important positions. On Thursday night, he resigned as chairman of the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners and on Friday he resigned from the Haldia Development Authority, where he was chairman. Besides transportation, Adhikari was also in charge of research and development of water resources and irrigation and waterways.
Sunday’s rally was held in Satgachhia, which is part of the Diamond Harbor Lok Sabha segment. This was Banerjee’s first public meeting in eight months.
“Will you forgive someone who betrays the mother of the party? Will you forgive someone who pursues personal ambition and betrays the party? Will you accept if someone spreads hoaxes and becomes the puppet of a rival party? ”Banerjee shouted to TMC workers amid loud applause.
Earlier this month, top TMC leaders had told this correspondent that Adhikari is particularly unhappy with the organizational decisions made by Abhishek Banerjee and election strategist Prashant Kishor, who was caught after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 18 of the state’s 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. On November 10, Adhikari launched a veiled challenge to leadership. “I am not afraid of anyone. We will meet on the battlefield, ”he said without naming anyone, not even the TMC.
The differences between Adhikari and the TMC leadership widened after he wanted the party to present candidates of his choice in 65 assembly seats spread over various districts. This is unacceptable to leadership.
The TMC held two consecutive rallies at Haldia and Kanthi in East Midnapore on Sunday in an attempt to send a strong message to Adhikari and the local party workers. Incidentally, the TMC rallies were led by ministers who are younger than most of the cabinet members.
“They are trying to divide Bengal. But we won’t let that happen. Mamata Banerjee grew up thanks to popular movements, ”Minister Sujit Bose said at the Haldia demonstration. Another minister, Rajib Banerjee, said: “This demonstration could not have been so successful if people had not been with us. Mamata Banerjee has stood the test of time and people have faith in her. ”
The TMC rally in Kanthi was led by Minister Bratya Basu. “I don’t want to comment on Adhikari as he is in the match,” Basu said on the sidelines of the rally.
Adhikari was at Mahishadal in East Midnapore on Sunday. He addressed a public meeting held in memory of the freedom fighter Ranajit Kumar Boyal, who died on November 13 at the age of 94.
Although he did not make any political statements, Adhikari ended his speech by saying: “The people have the last word. I will work for the people and I will always be accountable to them. ”
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