Blow to Mamata, Rebel TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari resigns as MLA

Kolkata, Dec 16: Rebel TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari has tendered his resignation from West Bengal Assembly. He is likely join the BJP during Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state on December 19-20.

Adhikari, the face of the Nandigram movement that added to the political heft of Mamata Banerjee and catapulted her to power, resigned from her cabinet last month, setting off speculation that he may quit the ruling TMC ahead of the state assembly polls next year.

He was said to be unhappy over organisational changes in the Trinamool Congress and the growing clout of Kishor and Abhishek, the nephew of the chief minister, in the decision making process of the state government.

The BJP central leadership is in touch with disgruntled TMC mass leader Suvendu Adhikari, since his resignation, but nothing has been decided as of now regarding his joining the saffron party.

Adhikari's resignation is seen as a prelude to the severing of his two-decade-old association with TMC right from its inception in 1998.

Apart from his home district of East Midnapore, Adhikari has influence over at least 40-45 assembly segments in tribal Jangalmahal area comprising the districts of West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram and parts of Birbhum and minority-dominated Murshidabad districts.

This assumes significance as polls in the state, where BJP has made deep inroads, is due in April-May 2021 and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will seek to return to power for the third consecutive term.