Suvendu Adhikari extols BJP's development pitch, thunders 'Save West Bengal from nephew'

Addressing a huge rally at Chatni in the Purbasthali Uttar constituency on Tuesday, ex-MLA Suvendu Adhikari urged people to vote for BJP in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls. Hitting out at TMC who described him as a liar, Adhikari recalled that he fought against Lakshman Seth in 2009 when the party was in a dire state. Defending his switch to BJP, the former Nandigram legislator claimed that the JP Nadda-led party fights for common people something which TMC cannot do.

Pointing out that BJP had protested against the mass murders in Nandigram, he predicted that his party would usher in development in the state. Alleging that TMC leaders had been caught red-handed with every scam and crime in the state, Adhikari contended that WB needs to be "saved" from Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee. Dismissing the notion that he joined BJP for any position, the former MLA asserted that his aim is to defeat TMC in the Assembly election. 

Read: Suvendu Adhikari Holds Meeting With West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar

Big boost to BJP

While Suvendu Adhikari had submitted a letter resigning as the MLA on December 16, it was not accepted as no date was specified. On Monday, West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee accepted his resignation after the latter personally deposed before him. Adhikari, who had resigned from the West Bengal Cabinet on November 27, also resigned from the primary membership of the Mamata Banerjee-led party.  

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.

Apart from Adhikari, former MLAs Silbhadra Dutta, Tapasi Mondal, Ashoke Dinda, Sudip Mukherjee, Saikat Panja, Dipali Biswas, Sukra Munda, Shyamapda Mukherjee, Biswajit Kundu and Banasri Maity and TMC MP Sunil Mondal joined BJP in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally in Midnapore on December 19. BJP is looking to make major inroads in the WB Assembly election due in April-May 2021 buoyed by its win in 18 out of 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the 2019 General Election. Both Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda have predicted that the party will win more than 200 seats in the WB polls. 

Read: Suvendu Adhikari To Start His Bengal Campaign On Dec 24; Will Hold A 'padyatra' In Kanthi