Midnapore: The ‘bhaipo’ (nephew) factor seems to be the main reason behind the exodus from Trinamool Congress (TMC) to BJP, just months ahead of assembly elections in West Bengal.
Former state transport minister Suvendu Adhikari, BJP’s biggest ‘catch’ from TMC, echoed the sentiment that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and state BJP leaders have been voicing for some time now.
Hitting out at chief minister Mamata Banerjee after being welcomed into the saffron fold in Shah’s presence at a rally in Midnapore on Saturday, Suvendu said: “Tolabaaj bhaipo hatao (get rid of your extortionist nephew).” The target was obviously Abhishek Banerjee, the MP from Diamond Harbour.
Adhikari, the face of Nandigram and Singur movements which helped Trinamool Congress win the assembly election in 2011, claimed that leaders who were with TMC from the beginning are being sidelined and those who joined much later getting importance.
Adhikari said it was important for the state to be governed by the same party that’s in power at the Centre. “If the ruling party at the Centre does not rule West Bengal, it will hurt the state’s chances of development and economic prosperity,” said Suvendu who joined BJP along with six MLAs from Trinamool, two MLAs from CPI(M) and one from Congress party.
Also crossing over to BJP were three MPs, a former state minister as well as 45 chairmen and 15 councillors.
Adhikari revealed he has written an open letter to all TMC leaders, urging them to join BJP if they want actual development of Bengal.
The BJP is banking on Adhikari to rope in more TMC leaders as he wields considerable clout in more than 40 assembly seats in East and West Midnapore, and surrounding regions.
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