Senior Trinamool leader Suvendhu Adhikari is likely to quit the party too, sources say (File)
Kolkata:
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Suvendu Adhikari today quit as a cabinet minister in the Mamata Banerjee government, sending his letter of resignation to the Chief Minister and emailing a copy to Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Mr Adhikari, who headed the transport and irrigation ministries, remains a member of the party and a MLA, for now. Sources, however, say he is likely to quit the party too. Mr Adhikari is reportedly heading to Delhi on Saturday, and the big question is – will he join the BJP.
The opposition party in the state has made no secret of its game plan ahead of Assembly polls due early next year – to claim 200 of 294 seats and dethrone the Mamata Banerjee government, a goal that could be made significantly easier with the influential Mr Adhikari in their ranks.
The representative from Bengal’s Nandigram constituency, Suvendu Adhikari has, for the past three months, made known his discontent within the party. He skipped party and cabinet meetings and attended rallies at which there were neither Trinamool banners nor portraits of Ms Banerjee.
A senior Trinamool leader was quoted by news agency PTI as saying: “A war of nerves has begun between the leadership and Mr Adhikari”.
Over the past two weeks the Trinamool has made some efforts to reach out to the disgruntled senior leader. At least two meetings were held in Kolktata, but neither afforded a breakthrough.
Mr Adhikari’s main grouse was with the increasing prominence that Ms Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, the MP from Diamond Harbour, in deciding party matters. He was also unhappy at the Trinamool’s growing reliance on master poll strategist Prashant Kishor.
Mr Kishor travelled 150 km from Kolkata to meet him at his home at Kanthi in East Midnapore district earlier this month. However, Mr Adhikari was not at home and did not return till after Prashant Kishor headed back to Kolkata.
Sources have said Mr Adhikari may reconsider his decision to quit if he gets more organisational control than Abhishek Banerjee. However, the same sources say such a move is unlikely.
With input from PTI
