Mamata government removes rebel Suvendu Adhikari's brother Soumendu from influential post

Days after Suvendu Adhikari joined BJP, Mamata Banerjee's Bengal government has taken action against his brother Soumendu Adhikari and removed him from a key post. On Tuesday, Mamata government issued a notice stating that Siddhartha Maity has been appointed as Chairperson of Contai Municipality, thus removing Soumendu Adhikari from the post. The decision was taken by Urban Development & Municipal Affairs ministry led by Firhad Hakim, who is a close aide of CM Mamata. So far, there are no reports of talks between BJP and Suvendu's family - his other brother and his father  - who are still MPs of Trinamool Congress.

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Suvendu Adhikari joins BJP

On December 17, Suvendu Adhikari officially quit the Trinamool and joined BJP in presence of ex- BJP chief Amit Shah. In his letter after resignation, Adhikari blamed the sidelining of leaders and said that Mamata has betrayed the party ideals. He said that a "deep rot and malaise" has set in the party, and asserted that "individuals in charge of the party currently are treating it as their personal fiefdom." In an apparent dig at Prashant Kishor, who is the political strategist of TMC for 2021 polls, said that those who have no idea about the sacrifices of the party are being hired to assist the party. 

Adhikari - the mastermind of 2007 Nandigram agitation - holds influence in about 35 assembly constituencies in West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and Birbhum districts. He had 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. 

In his first public meeting at Nandigram since joining BJP, Suvendu Adhikari dared the ruling TMC, to which he formerly belonged, to organise a big public meeting in Purbo Medinipur area. He said BJP will hold public meeting at Nandigram on January 8 which will see the gathering of one lakh people and dared Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee to hold a rally as big as it.

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