TMC's Sujata Mondal dares Suvendu Adhikari for an electoral faceoff, predicts his defeat

Three days after joining TMC, BJP MP Saumitra Khan's estranged wife Sujata Mondal dared BJP's Suvendu Adhikari to contest against him in any of the Assembly seats in West Bengal. While Mondal has never contested a formal election when she was in BJP, she is credited for managing her husband's successful campaign in the Bishnupur Lok Sabha constituency in his absence. Taking a dig at the ex-TMC MLA Adhikari who has openly challenged the TMC government, she described him as a "big leader".

Moreover, Mondal predicted that Adhikari will lose even his security deposit in a direct faceoff with her. According to her, the former Nandigram legislator's refusal to accept this challenge will imply that he is scared of her. After joining TMC on Monday, Mondal revealed that she felt humiliated in BJP and added that she could never accept Adhikari as her leader. Subsequently, Saumitra Khan expressed his dismay at his wife's decision, severed all relations with her and sent her a divorce notion. 

Read: Suvendu Adhikari Extols BJP's Development Pitch, Thunders 'Save West Bengal From Nephew'

Suvendu Adhikari joins BJP

While Adhikari resigned from the West Bengal Cabinet on November 27, he submitted a letter resigning as the MLA on December 16. Adhikari and a number of other MLAs and political functionaries joined BJP in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally in Midnapore on December 19. On Monday, West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee accepted his resignation after he personally deposed before him.

At present, his brother Dibyendu Adhikari and father Sisir Adhikari are serving as TMC Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha. The Adhikari family is believed to have an influence in at least 50 Assembly constituencies. The disgruntled TMC leader's move is being perceived as a setback to TMC in the run-up to the WB Assembly polls.

Read: 'Sachin Pilot Will Walk Out With More MLAs Than Suvendu Adhikari': Athawale Warns Gehlot

'BJP Tsunami in West Bengal' 

Earlier in the day, the former Nandigram MLA held a rally in Kanthi village, his hometown. Speaking exclusively to Republic TV, he exuded confidence in his party winning more than 200 seats in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls. Calling for an end to the rift between the Centre and the state, he argued that BJP's victory would ensure the progress of West Bengal. 

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari remarked, "Delhi and Kolkata must have one party ruling it for Bengal's progress. For the past 40  years, whichever party ruled Delhi, a different party ruled Bengal. Hence the rift between state and Centre must end, Centre's policies are not being implemented here. BJP will win more than 200 seats, there will be a BJP Tsunami in Bengal".

Read: 'History Proves Backstabbers Can Never Reach Any Higher Place': TMC On Suvendu Adhikari