Personally feel Suvendu Adhikari will lose: TMC leader Madan Mitra

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former state minister Madan Mitra on Wednesday said that he was ready to take charge of West Bengal’s Midnapore district after Suvendu Adhikari’s resignation ahead of the crucial 2021 West Bengal Assembly Elections.

Mitra was adamant that the state’s ruling party had not lost ground despite the departure of one of its stalwart leaders. “I personally feel ultimately Suvendu Adhikari will lose. I am ready to take charge of Midnapore district and if party wants I will stay there for three months at a stretch.TMC hasn’t lost its ground,” he said as quoted by ANI.

Suvendu Adhikari resigned from TMC on Wednesday after several days of discontentment with the party. He spearheaded the Nandigram movement that helped chief minister Mamata Banerjee win power from the CPI(M) in 2011. He represented the Nandigram constituency from the Purba Medinipur district.

Adhikari is still a largely influential figure in the areas of West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, parts of Birbhum and Murshidabad, all of which constitute about 40-45 assembly seats

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders are optimistic of Adhikari joining their party, which would bolster their chances of coming to power in West Bengal.

Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said, “It was bound to happen. Many MLAs left TMC earlier too and joined our party. There is 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.”

BJP vice-president Mukul Roy welcomed the news of Adhikari’s resignation. “The day Suvendu Adhikari had resigned from the ministerial post, I had said that I will be happy if he leaves TMC and we will welcome him. Today he has resigned from the membership of the West Bengal legislative assembly and I welcome his decision.”

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on the other hand, pulled no punches. “Some dacoits of Chambal and goons from outside have entered Bengal. At times they threaten police and sometimes they threaten TMC. Today TMC is as deep-rooted as a Banyan tree. Two-three people who know they won’t get a ticket from the party are going away,” she said.

The West Bengal Assembly Election is scheduled to be held during April-May in 2021 with the BJP and the ruling TMC as the two main rivals to fight for power. The BJP had bagged only three out of the 294 seats in the previous assembly election but won 18 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general election.

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