Published 18:50 IST, December 16th 2020
Mamata Banerjee reacts to Suvendu Adhikari's exit: 'TMC as deep-rooted as Banyan tree'
Dismissing Suvendu Adhikari's exit as a major setback, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, said that 'people who won't get a ticket are going away'.
Dismissing Suvendu Adhikari's exit as a major setback, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, said that 'people who won't get a ticket are going away'. Addressing a public rally, Banerjee lashed out at the saffron party saying that they were 'attacking the TMC', but added, 'TMC is as deep-rooted as a Banyan tree'. Suvendu Adhikari tendered his resignation as an MLA of the Bengal Assembly to the Speaker urging him to accept his resignation at the earliest.
Mamata: '2-3 people leaving TMC won't affect'
Reacting to Suvendu's exit, TMC MLA Madan Mitra said, "I request Mamata to assign me the charge of Midnapore district. If needed will camp there for 3 months and win it for TMC. Suvendu will ultimately lose. From today, even though he is my brother, he is my opponent."
Suvendu to join BJP?
After his resignation, sources said that Adhikari is set to join the saffron party on Saturday, in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah. Adhikari is set to join BJP in the presence of ex-BJP chief Amit Shah at Medinipur town in West Midnapore district, which is Shah's first stop in his second Bengal visit in two months. Both Congress and BJP are awaiting Adhikari's next move, welcoming him to their party.
Suvendu Adhikari resigns from cabinet
Last month, Adhikari resigned from the cabinet post of Transport minister after quitting as Hooghly River Bridge Commission chairman, saying it was 'difficult to work in TMC'. After his quitting, his aide - Kanishka Panda was expelled as general secretary of TMC's East Midnapore district unit for alleged anti-party activities. Moreover, TMC leader and West Bengal minister Rajib Banerjee too had hit out at TMC, saying that those working in the interest of people and hardworking are not getting due importance in Trinamool.
Adhikari - the mastermind of 2007 Nandigram agitation - holds influence in about 35 assembly constituencies in West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and Birbhum districts and has been creating rumours for the past few months by holding rallies not under Trinamool flag or its supremo - Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's posters, and had skipped cabinet meetings. While Suvendu himself is very influential, his father Sisir Adhikari and younger brother Dibyendu Adhikari are TMC MPs from Tamluk and Kanthi Lok Sabha constituencies respectively. Trinamool had delegated two senior MPs along with poll strategist Prashant Kishor to talk to Adhikari, but failed to find a breakthrough. West Bengal goes to polls in April-May 2021, where Mamata Banerjee eyes a third consecutive term.
Updated 18:50 IST, December 16th 2020