Adhikari’s father joins BJP as Modi, Shah tour Bengal; CM call him 'traitor'
Octogenarian Adhikari is the TMC’s eldest Lok Sabha member who represents the Contai seat in East Midnapore.
Mamata Banerjee’s aide since the birth of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and her adversary Suvendu Adhikari’s father, Sisir Adhikari, ended all speculations and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the last Sunday before the eight-phase election in Bengal. The development came at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah held back-to-back rallies to counter the chief minister’s campaign.
Octogenarian Adhikari, the TMC’s eldest Lok Sabha member who represents the Contai seat in East Midnapore, attended Shah’s rally at Egra in the same district. He delivered a speech before Shah addressed the crowd but, surprising many, did not take the BJP flag from Shah’s hand, a custom seen at such events.
Banerjee, who addressed two rallies in East Midnapore district on Sunday, did not hide her displeasure and, for the first time, accused the Adhikaris of swindling funds.
“I am foolish as a donkey. I trust people easily. Now I hear that the gaddars (traitors) made ₹5,000 crores. The money is kept in a cooperate bank,” Banerjee said in a veiled attack on Adhikari and his family while addressing a rally at Contai.
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Suvendu Adhikari, who vacated the Nandigram assembly seat which he is now contesting against the chief minister, joined the saffron camp in Shah’s presence on December 19 last year. His youngest brother Soumendu, who headed the TMC-run Contai municipality, switched camps a few days later. The only TMC leader left in the family is Sisir Adhikari’s eldest son Dibyendu who is the ruling party’s Lok Sabha member from Tamluk.
“I have not taken my decision yet,” Dibyendu Adhikari said. His father however squarely accused the TMC of “pushing” him into the BJP.
“The party pushed me into the BJP. I will do what Suvendu asks me to. He will win the Nandigram seat with a record margin and the TMC will be wiped out in all 16 assembly seats in East Midnapore district. I had a word with Shah. I told him we will work with the BJP,” said Sisir Adhikari.
Asked why he did not go through the custom of accepting the BJP flag, he said, “I am with the BJP since the day Suvendu joined it.”
Kolkata-based political science professor and election analyst Udayan Bandopadhyay said, “Adhikari did not accept the BJP flag in public possibly because he thought photos and videos of that moment would be used by the TMC to seek his removal from the lower House under the anti-defection law. The TMC can still move the Speaker. Adhikari may argue that he only shared the dais with BJP leaders as a disgruntled TMC leader.”
At her rallies, Banerjee repeatedly asked her party workers to be careful about the traitors but did not name the Adhikaris. She even alleged that local TMC leaders were receiving threat calls.
At his rally in Bankura district, Modi targeted Banerjee.
“I came here for the last time before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Didi (Banerjee) blocked all roads to the rally ground. Vendors were told not to supply chairs. But on the day of polling you ensured our victory,” said Modi. The BJP won two Lok Sabha seats in Bankura districts.
“I see images being painted on walls, showing Didi playing football with my head. This goes against Bengal’s culture. I always bow before the people. Didi, you can kick me but I won’t let you kick the dreams of the people of Bengal,” said Modi while reiterating his attack on extortion by TMC workers.
No TMC leader commented on Modi’s statements. The BJP however complained to the Election Commission of India on Sunday, saying the chief minister should be cautioned for calling the Prime Minister “demon” and “rioter” at her rallies.
