Updated: December 16, 2020 5:29:27 pm
Suvendu Adhikari submitted his handwritten resignation to the Speaker of the State Assembly, Biman Banerjee (express photo)
Trinamool Congress Leader Disgruntled Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the West Bengal Legislative Assembly membership on Wednesday amid indications that would join the BJP during Interior Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state on December 19-20. Adhikari, who was an MLA from Nandigram, submitted his handwritten resignation to the Speaker of the Assembly, Biman Banerjee.
Adhikari has already give up as West Bengal Minister of Transport and other posts and has been distancing himself from the party for several months. The party then rushed to placate electoral strategist Prashant Kishor and main leader Sougata Roy, but the negotiation failed.
“From now on Adhikari is expected to join the BJP in the (East Midnapore) rally,” said a BJP source. However, sources also said that Adhikari had previously backtracked on two dates of entry that he had engaged with the party leadership.
On Tuesday, BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya called Adhikari to wish him his birthday, further fueling speculation. BJP sources said that Adhikari, an influential leader with a massive base, could influence votes in at least 40 Assembly constituencies in six districts.
In a new attack on TuesdayAdhikari further distanced himself from TMC’s leadership, saying that “people who come from other states cannot be treated as outsiders.” He was referring to the “internal-external” debate unleashed by TMC’s leadership to counter the BJP in the Assembly elections scheduled for next year.
The TMC has often criticized the BJP for sending its leaders from other states to prepare for Assembly elections. “Our identity is first that of an Indian and then that of a Bengali,” Adhikari said.
Trinamool leaders said Adhikari began distancing himself from the party due to the rise of Abhishek banerjee, a party deputy and Mamata’s nephew. Abhishek has been given more responsibilities in managing the party, which has reportedly upset Adhikari, who had scheduled the party’s growth in various districts.
Suvendu’s rise began after Mamata’s Nandigram movement in Purba Medinipur in 2007, which he coordinated closely on the ground. The Nandigram unrest played a powerful role in ending the 34-year rule of the Left Front in the 2011 Assembly elections. Mamata was impressed and, over the following years, gave respect and importance to Suvendu and her family, and rewarded them for their dedication to TMC.
Suvendu quickly strengthened the party organization and increased his own influence beyond Purba Medinipur. He came to have significant influence in the three districts of Jangalmahal: Bankura, Purulia and Paschim Medinipur, in addition to his native territory of Purba Medinipur. These four districts together have nine Lok Sabha and 63 Assembly seats, and Suvendu is believed to be in a position to influence the election results in 20-30 of them.
Mamata entrusted Suvendu with the responsibility of being the TMC observer in many parts of the state, mainly in Jangalmahal, Malda and Murshidabad. He is influential in the organization of the party in South Bengal, especially in the Haldia port area, and among the unions in the Haldia industrial zone.
(With contributions from Atri Mitra)
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
.
