Kolkata: Rumours of Trinamool Congress heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari’s imminent movement away from the party were bolstered with fresh claims of the leader’s persistent disgruntlement made by those closest to him.
Adhikari, an influential leader with a mass base that proves crucial just ahead of the Bengal assembly election, had resigned from the Mamata Banerjee cabinet and other government corporation positions that he held a few days ago. Adhikari had maintained that it is “difficult for him to work with the party” and speculation on him joining Bharatiya Janata Party had been rife.
However, on Tuesday, December 1, the Medinipur leader met TMC MP and Mamata’s nephew Abhisek Banerjee, party bigwigs Saugata Roy and Sudip Bandopadhyay, and poll strategist Prashant Kishore in North Kolkata.
The selection of leaders was a potent one as Adhikari’s disgruntlement with the TMC is understood to have stemmed from Abhishek Banerjee and Prashant Kishore’s presence in party affairs.
The meeting was touted as having been a positive one, with an employee of I-PAC, the organisation Kishore heads, telling The Wire that the leader was not leaving TMC in its aftermath.
Now, Adhikari is said to have been less than satisfied with the way in which senior TMC leaders went to town on Tuesday claiming all differences between him and the party had been sorted out. Local Bengali media had reported the ‘results’ of the meeting almost immediately after its completion at around 11 in the night, noting its success.
Sources close to Adhikari told PTI that he did not want the details of what transpired at the meeting to be leaked to the media.
The sources quoted by the news agency claimed that Adhikari was miffed that “false” announcements were made on him, “without the problems raised by him getting resolved and without giving him a chance to speak”.
A two-term former MP, Adhikari is the TMC’s local face of the Nandigram movement, riding on which Mamata came to power in 2011. Adhikari’s father Sisir Adhikari and brother Dibyendu are sitting TMC MPs from Tamluk and Kanthi Lok Sabha constituencies respectively.
Also read: What Trinamool’s Induction of Chhatradhar Mahato Means to Bengal Politics
The family, with roots in the Congress, wields considerable influence in at least 40-45 assembly segments in West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, parts of Birbhum.
TMC leader vacillates
TMC veteran and Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy, meanwhile, said,” Whatever I had stated on Tuesday night was the truth about the outcome of the meeting.
“Now, if Suvendu has changed his position, it is for him to clarify. I have nothing more to say.”
Roy replied in the negative when asked by PTI if there was a possibility of initiating fresh talks with the Adhikari.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a TMC leader told PTI that Adhikari was unhappy that Roy had jumped the gun and claimed on Tuesday night that “everything has been sorted out” days ahead of a press conference scheduled for December 6.
(With PTI inputs)