Bengal Politics After Trinamool heavy weight minister Suvendu Adhikari's resignation, Mamata Banerjee calls emergency meeting
Kolkata/IBNS: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has called a meeting of senior party leaders at her Kalighat residence here this evening. The meeting has been called after rebel TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari resigned as West Bengal Transport Minister and the Chairman of the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners (HRBC).
According to reports, Trinamool Congress Secretary General and state higher education minister Partha Chaterjee, urban development minister and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim and Diamond Harbour MP Abishek Banerjee have joined the emergency meeting.
Ahead of next year's assembly polls, the Trinamool Congress is facing the dual challenge of retaining the rebel heavy weights of the party and stopping the progress of Bharatiya Janata Party in Bengal.
On Friday Trinamool Congress leader Suvendu Adhikari resigned as the West Bengal Transport Minister. The Nandigram MLA was at forefront in Trinamool's struggle at Nandigram in 2007 and wrested it from the Left. Nandigram, and Singur, helped Trinamool unseat the 34-year-old Left rule in Bengal in 2011.
The emergency meeting within hours of Adhikari's resignation is being viewed as TMC's attempt to put together all its efforts to stop his exit. Adhikari not only wields immense influence in East Medinipur but also known as an able strategist and administrator, according to political experts. His departure may also mean loss of a large chunk of votes for Trinamool
In the past two to three months, Adhikari has been holding public meetings albeit without the party banner. In these meetings, he has made no secret of his discontent with the party. He has been also speaking openly about the elements within TMC, who have been criticising his family (his father Sisir Adhikari is a veteran TMC man and a party MP and his brother Soumen is the chairman of the Kanthi municipal corporation).
Reportedly, he is also peeved by the attempts to cut him to size and reduce his clout, apparently over his disapproval of growing influence and the increased organisational power being given to Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee.
Despite his resignation, the TMC is hopeful of wooing the disgruntled leader. TMC veteran leader Sougata Roy, who has been assigned as a mediator, said as long as Adhikari is in party, efforts would be made to retain him. However, political analysts believe Adhikari has not quit from the party as he wants to use his influence among his supporters while still remaining in the party, which could worsen TMC's troubles.
Meanwhile, TMC MLA Mihir Goswami may also join the Bharatiya Janata Party today and is currently in Delhi.
TMC MLA Mihir Goswami was accompanied by BJP MP from Coochbehar Nishith Pramanik on his journey to Delhi.
“He has already had discussions with the BJP top brass. He will visit the party headquarters later today where he will be inducted into the party,” Pramanik told India Today TV.
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