BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari Wednesday alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government is desperate to shield former chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, who was show-caused by the Centre, as he is aware of the "irregularities" of Covid-19 management in the state.

The Union Home Ministry issued a show-cause notice to Bandyopadhyay on May 31, the day he retired, for allegedly violating the Disaster Management Act by not attending a meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Bandyopadhyay, who was appointed as the chief advisor to the chief minister after his retirement as the chief secretary, became virtually inseparable from the ruling dispensation in the state during the last two years, Adhikari claimed while talking to reporters after meeting Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at Raj Bhavan.

The Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, claimed that the BJP targeted Bandyopadhyay as he was working for the people of West Bengal and the saffron party wanted to teach the people of the state for voting in favour of the TMC in the recent assembly election. "Alapan Bandyopadhyay knew many improper acts of the TMC government. He was privy to those acts and he did not take any remedial action. Hence, there is a desperate bid by the chief minister of West Bengal to shield Bandyopadhyay. Hence, there is a desperate attempt by Bandyopadhyay to cling to the CM," Adhikari said.

Adhikari also alleged that the former chief secretary broke service rules and insulted the prime minister by not attending the cyclone review meeting chaired by Modi at Kalaikunda airbase.

He claimed that the violence unleashed by the TMC after the election is showing no signs of abatement and thousands of BJP activists still could not return home.

Adhikari said he urged the governor to visit the places affected by violence after the Covid-related restrictions are lifted.

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh claimed that Adhikari, who joined the BJP from the TMC in December last year, is making all kinds of false charges against the ruling dispensation and officials as he is accused in cases and wants to shield himself from central agencies like CBI.