In yet another big jolt to the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s brother Soumendu Adhikari formally joined BJP on Friday. He was accompanied by 14 other TMC councillors of the 20-member Contai Municipality. Soumendu Adhikari was chairman of the Municipality but he was removed from the post after Suvendu Adhikari had joined BJP in presence of Amit Shah.
#Breaking | Suvendu Adhikari’s younger brother, Soumendu. also joins BJP.
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) January 1, 2021
Details by Tamal Saha. pic.twitter.com/3DcDa1adj0
Interestingly just a few days ago, TMC MP and Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee had taunted Suvendu for failing to shift his father and brothers from TMC to BJP.
Miffed by the exit of Suvendu Adhikari, Mamata Banerjee led government in West Bengal had recently removed his brother Soumendu Adhikari from the post of Chairperson of Contai Municipality and replaced him with Siddhartha Maity. The decision was taken by Urban Development & Municipal Affairs ministry led by Firhad Hakim, who is a close aide of CM Mamata Banerjee.
Enraged by the development, Suvendu Adhikari had asserted that Mamata Banerjee-led TMC will disintegrate soon. He had confirmed yesterday that Soumendu Adhikari along with a few councillors and 5,000 TMC workers will switch over to the saffron party.
The induction of Suvendu and Soumendu Adhikari in BJP is definitely a cause of worry for Mamata Banerjee led govt in West Bengal, especially before the 2021 Assembly elections, considering the Adhikari family hold a significant amount of influence over the people of their respective bastions.
Soumendu Adhikari files petition in Calcutta HC challenging his removal
Meanwhile, Soumendu Adhikari, the brother of BJP leader Suvendhu Adhikari, on Thursday, filed a petition before the Calcutta High Court challenging his removal from the post of administrator of Contai Municipality in Purba Medinipur district. According to the reports, Soumendu Adhikari in his petition has said that he was illegally removed by the West Bengal government’s Municipal Affairs Department from the post of administrator of the civic body.
Suvendu Adhikari quits TMC, joins BJP
On December 17, Suvendu Adhikari formally quit the Trinamool Congress and joined BJP in presence of Home Minister Amit Shah. Addressing his followers, Suvendhu Adhikari had written a letter blaming Mamata Banerjee for sidelining the party leaders and alleged that Mamata has betrayed the party ideals.
Suvendu Adhikari’s father and Kanthi MP Sisir Kumar Adhikari, his brother and Tamluk MP Dibyendu Adhikari are still leaders of TMC. It is not known whether they will also move to BJP. Last month, Mamata Banerjee had asked Sisir Adhikari to get rid of party leaders who are allegedly engaged in anti-party activities. Banerjee had asked Sisir Adhikari to work with TMC state president Subrata Bakshi and ensure that rebels are replaced with loyal party leaders in places like Nandigram, Haldia, Contai, Nandankumar and Ramnagar.