Trinamool Congress rebel leader Suvendu Adhikari is going to join BJP on Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Bengal. According to BJP sources, Shah will be in Bengal on December 19-20. TMC strongman Suvendu Adhikari resigned from the cabinet last month, since then it was believed that he could join BJP just before the assembly elections in Bengal.
He resigned from three posts in the state cabinet on November 28. After resigning from the ministry, Shuvendu told a close circle that he would state his ‘political position’ after resigning as MLA.
BJP sources have admitted that joining the BJP by Suvendu Adhikari will be a big benefit for the party, as the officer’s image is clearer than other TMC leaders and is considered the state’s leader. His departure from the TMC government has already hurt the party, so the Mamata Banerjee leadership is trying to convince him to change his mind. Significantly, Suvendu Adhikari is considered to have a good influence on 40 assembly seats in six districts of Bengal.
Who is Suvendu Adhikari
Suvendu Adhikari was minister of Transport, Irrigation and Water resource in Government of West Bengal. He was a member of the 15th Lok Sabha and the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2016), as an Trinamool Congress candidate, from Tamluk.
In 2006, Adhikari was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Kanthi Dakshin constituency. He also became the chairman of Kanthi Municipal Corporation in the same year.
In 2007, Adhikari spearheaded the anti-land-acquisition movement in the Nandigram. He led the Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee. The ruling Left Front government in West Bengal planned to acquire 10,000 acres of land in the village to set up a special economic zone. This movement catapulted Mamata Banerjee to the centre-stage of Bengali politics.
In 2009, Suvendu Adhikari defeated CPM strongman Lakshman Seth in Tamluk by 1.73 lakh votes. In 2014, he was re-elected to Lok Sabha. In 2016, he won the Nandigram Assembly seat and was made Transport Minister.
