Big blow to Mamata Banerjee! Suvendu Adhikari resigns from TMC weeks after quitting cabinet

Heavyweight politician Suvendu Adhikari has resigned from the Trinamool Congress, in a big setback to Mamata Banerjee ahead of the upcoming assembly election in 2021. Adhikari was upset with the chief minister over a host of issues including sudden rise of her nephew Abhishek Benerjee and Prashant Kishor.

The development comes as a major setback for Mamata and the Trinamool Congress, who had claimed that Suvebdu’s exit had been averted following talks with senior party leaders after his exit from the cabinet. The Indian Express today reported that Suvendu could join the Bharatiya Janata Party during Shah’s Bengal visit.

This is big blow to Mamata Banerjee as Suvendu, the face of Nandigram movement that paved the way for TMC to come to power, has considerable influence in over 40 assembly seats, more than enough to tip the balance in close contests that are likely to happen with the rise of the BJP.

Suvendu comes from a political family with father and brother both in TMC. He also enjoys the confidence of a number of TMC MLAs. Now if he joins the BJP, more and more TMC MLAs could switch side with him, something which would could change the fate of TMC and Mamata Banerjee in 2021.

Knowing the importance of Suvendu, the TMC did try to persuade him by having multiple rounds of talk. But nothing worked, he first resigned from the post of chairman of Hooghly River Bridge Commission on November 26 and then also resigned as Transport Minister on November 27.

Soon after Suvendu resigned from TMC, BJP Vice President Mukul Roy welcomed his decision to leave Mamata Banerjee. “The day Suvendu Adhikari had resigned from the ministerial post, I had told I will be happy if he leaves TMC and we (BJP) will welcome him. Today, he has resigned from the membership of West Bengal Legislative Assembly and I welcome his decision,” BJP Vice President Mukul Roy said.

Roy also said that the TMC was collapsing like a house of cards. “Everyday someone from the party comes to us to join our party,” he said.

Commenting on Adhikari’s resignation, BJP Bengal chief said that it was bound to happen. He said many MLAs left TMC earlier too and joined BJP. “There’s no democracy or respect for people in TMC. Those who want to join in the change in Bengal and contribute to its development are leaving TMC and joining us,” Dilip Ghosh said.