Suvendu Adhikari, BJP leader and party candidate from Nandigram in the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls, said on Wednesday that his father Sisir Adhikari, Trinamool Congress MP, will 'support' the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reported news agency ANI.
"Sisir Adhikari will support the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is a senior leader of the area," Suvendu Adhikari was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Earlier in the day, Suvendu had said that his father will be present at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on Saturday.
Last Sunday, Congress MP Sisir Adhikari had said that he will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting in Kanthi on March 20 if he is invited. News agency PTI reported that the senior Adhikari has been in a 'strained' relationship with the TMC leadership for a while now. The septuagenarian leader's two sons, Suvendu and Soumendu, joined the BJP. His other son Dibyendu is a TMC MP.
{{/usCountry}}Last Sunday, Congress MP Sisir Adhikari had said that he will attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting in Kanthi on March 20 if he is invited. News agency PTI reported that the senior Adhikari has been in a 'strained' relationship with the TMC leadership for a while now. The septuagenarian leader's two sons, Suvendu and Soumendu, joined the BJP. His other son Dibyendu is a TMC MP.
{{/usCountry}}Sisir Adhikari, whose constituency Kanthi borders the shores of the Bay of Bengal in its southern perimeter, said that he will seek from the prime minister a deep sea port for the state. Alleging that the TMC leadership was attacking Suvendu, he said that as a father, he will do everything to protect his son.
BJP MP Locket Chatterjee visited the residence of Sisir Adhikari on Saturday and had lunch. Although both said it was a "courtesy call", speculations have been rife ever since that the veteran leader might switch camp ahead of the Bengal assembly polls.
Political corridors went abuzz with murmurs, PTI reported, that the TMC MP might join the saffron camp during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state later this month. Chatterjee, in fact, clarified that the BJP would welcome the TMC MP with open arms if he decides to join the party.
BJP spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya claimed that all of Purba Medinipur wants the Adhikari family patriarch to join the saffron camp. Sisir's son, Suvendu, is pitted against his former mentor and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Nandigram assembly seat for the upcoming assembly elections.
(With inputs from agencies)