Ending speculation, disgruntled Trinamool Congress MP Sisir Adhikari on Sunday joined the BJP, following in the footsteps of his two sons Suvendu and Soumendu, and put up a formidable fight against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee camp to “save the honour of Midnapore”.”The way our family was driven out (of TMC) will be forever written in history. We will rise against all political attacks and atrocities in Bengal. We will work under Modiji and Amit Shahji,” the Lok Sabha MP said, chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.
The patriarch of the Adhikari family — which wields considerable influence in Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district — said that he was forced to switch camp, as the leaders of the ruling TMC left him with no other option.
Earlier, too, the TMC MP had accused the ruling party of “humiliating” him and son Suvendu, who is locked in a fierce battle with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the district’s Nandigram constituency.
“They (TMC leaders) forced me to join the BJP. Let them (TMC) do what they want, and I will do what I can,” Adhikari said while speaking to reporters.
Sisir Adhikari asserted that Suvendu Adhikari will bag the Nandigram seat by a comfortable margin.
“Suvendu will win the polls by a huge margin. The TMC will be wiped out of East Midnapore,” the Lok Sabha MP added.
Sources in the BJP said his other son Dibyendu, a TMC MP from Tamluk, may also follow suit.
Septuagenarian Sisir Adhikari had earlier been removed as chairman of the prestigious Digha-Shankarpur Development Council and president of the Trinamool’s district unit.
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal state Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
With agency inputs
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The patriarch of the Adhikari family — which wields considerable influence in Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district — said that he was forced to switch camp, as the leaders of the ruling TMC left him with no other option
