TMC MLA Silbhadra Dutta meets BJP's Mukul Roy days after refusing Prashant Kishor's aides

After failed deliberations with Suvendu Adhikari, Trinamool Congress may also lose another MLA Silbhadra Dutta. As per local reports, just a day before BJP chief JP Nadda's visit to Kolkata, Dutta met BJP leader Mukul Roy. Sources also said that he has had a couple of meetings with Roy in the past month. Dutta had earlier refused to meet Prashant Kishor-led Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) officials sent by TMC and had said that he will not contest the polls. He had also said that the TMC leadership should have been more pro-active in redressing his grievances. While Roy has refused to comment on any such meeting, Dutta has reportedly said that he visits Roy's place 'occasionally.'

"They had come to talk to me. I told them (I-PAC) I would not discuss organisational matters with them. It is not possible for me to take directions from a private agency on how politics or organisational work should be done. Later, our district president Jyotipriyo Mullick called me up and expressed his desire to visit my place. I said he is welcome. But I would not change my decision on not to contest polls," said Dutta, who is a two-time TMC MLA from Barrackpore. When asked whether he had informed the leadership of his grievances, Dutta said that the party is aware of everything but nothing has been done to redress them.

Leaders in TMC are reportedly disappointed by the growing clout of Mamata's nephew Abhishek Banerjee in the party and the presence of poll strategist Prashant Kishor. 

READ | 'Suvendu Adhikari not joining BJP': TMC MP Saugata Roy after parleys with miffed leader

Suvendu Adhikari resigns from Mamata's cabinet

In a big jolt to Mamata Banerjee and her party Trinamool Congress, Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari had resigned from the cabinet post and sources had said that he may resign from the party soon. A day earlier Adhikari had also resigned as Hooghly River Bridge Commission chairman. Moreover, senior leader and Coochbehar Dakshin MLA Mihir Goswami quit the party joined the BJP.

TMC MP Saugata Roy, after series of meeting, said that Adhikari is not joining BJP and the problem with him has been solved. The TMC leader stated that he, along with poll strategist Prashant Kishor, TMC leader Sudip Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, had a fruitful discussion with Adhikari. He added that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and all problems have been sorted and that TMC is united.

"Suvendu Adhikari is not going to BJP. It was a foolish assumption. I had a fruitful meeting with him today along with Prashant Kishore, Sudip Banerjee & Abhishek Banerjee and things are sorted out. He is with TMC and we will work together to make Mamata win again. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and all problems have been sorted. Party is united. There was a need for a face-to-face meeting. So it was done," Saugata Roy stated. However, later, Adhikari said that it is not possible for him to work for the party. To this, Roy responded, "We responded to his (Suvendhu Adhikari) message yesterday itself. I truthfully said whatever happened at the meeting the day before yesterday. If he changed his mind since then, it's for him to talk to the press. We've nothing further to say. No further discussion thought of with him."

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Nadda campaigns in Mamata's constituency

Meanwhile, inaugurating 9 BJP offices in West Bengal, BJP chief J P Nadda, on Wednesday, claimed that BJP will overthrow the Mamata Banerjee government in the upcoming 2021 Bengal polls. Terming the Trinamool government as 'intolerant', he said that BJP's political workers were being continuously killed and were being passed off as 'suicides'.

Reiterating BJP's 'Mission 200 seats', Nadda added that the BJP will set up 36 party offices soon across Bengal. He also proclaimed that the BJP will set up a party office in every district of India. Lauding the BJP's recent victory in Rajasthan's Zilla Parishad elections, Nadda proclaimed that 'Rajasthan farmers have fully supported BJP. Rs 1 lakh crore have been released by the Modi government for farmers.' He added, "Mamata Banerjee house arrested BJP leaders during the lockdown. Mamata govt has stopped people to join the mainstream because of political reasons. We have to take one last leap in West Bengal, will do it in 2021 and overthrow Mamta govt".

READ | Chaos in Mamata's TMC far from over? Adhikari miffed, MLA Silbhadra Dutta won't talk