Baruipur (WB), Oct 30 West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday launched a blistering attack on his predecessor Mamata Banerjee, daring her to contest elections again and asserting that the opposition party had lost its political relevance in the state and was now looking towards the Congress and the CPI(M) for survival.
Without naming Mamata, Adhikari said the former chief minister, who had broken away from the Congress to establish the TMC, was now seeking political relevance by “bowing at the feet” of the very party she had once abandoned.
“You should go to Delhi. There is nothing left for you in West Bengal. You are now going to Delhi instead of staying in Kolkata. You are trying to find a political foothold there by hobnobbing with the Congress and the CPI(M). She is now bowing at the feet of Congress to have political significance, ” he said while addressing a public meeting at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district.
Referring to Mamata’s political challenge in Bengal, Adhikari, who has defeated her twice in electoral contests, dared her to face him at the hustings once again.
“If you have the courage, contest an election again. I have defeated you twice, and I will defeat Mamata Banerjee once more,” he said.
The chief minister also issued a direct challenge to Banerjee’s nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee, daring him to contest the 2029 Lok Sabha elections against him.
“Abhishek, if you contest an election, I will defeat you. I will ensure that you lose by at least one vote more than the number of votes you have won by. You didn’t allow free and fair elections in Bengal. If you have the courage, contest in 2029,” Adhikari said.
The CM attacked the TMC MP over his influence in South 24 Parganas, alleging that he had treated the district as his personal fiefdom and prevented panchayat elections from being held freely.
“Your nephew used to behave like a zamindar of South 24 Parganas and did not allow panchayat elections to take place,” he said while referring to the former CM.
Adhikari’s remarks came amid a series of political confrontations between the BJP government and the TMC following the change of guard in West Bengal.
The BJP has repeatedly accused the previous regime of political intimidation, corruption and institutional capture, charges denied by the TMC.
In an apparent reference to former TMC minister and singer Indranil Sen, Adhikari issued a veiled warning to Mamata Banerjee, pointing to a musical event during which she sang with him.
“Those who have performed duets with him (Indranil Sen) will also have to go behind bars,” he said, in an apparent reference to Banerjee, who had shared the stage with Sen for musical performances.
He also mocked the former ruling party’s declining political standing, claiming that Mamata and Abhishek were no longer being invited to public and religious events.
Earlier, the ruling party had been invited to around 400 Durga Puja celebrations while opposition leaders would receive invitations to only 20, he claimed.
“This time, nobody has invited the aunt and nephew,” he said.
In another pointed attack, Adhikari referred to Mamata and her nephew as “political liabilities”, adding that people should remain patient as his government pursued action against those accused of wrongdoing.
“I know you all have a question when will the big thief be put behind bars? Don’t worry, it will happen soon; just have some patience,” he said.
On allegations of post-poll violence, Adhikari urged victims who had not yet filed police complaints to do so.
“Those who have not filed complaints over post-poll violence should do so now. As the police minister, it is my responsibility to ensure that these criminals are sent to jail,” he said.
Adhikari also promised that illegally occupied land would be recovered and distributed among the poor, particularly members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
“All land that has been grabbed illegally will be recovered and distributed among the poor, including SC and ST communities,” he said.
On the Annapurna Yojana, Adhikari claimed that genuinely eligible beneficiaries were receiving assistance and assured that others meeting the criteria would also be covered.
The chief minister also reiterated his government’s resolve to close illegal cattle slaughterhouses, warning that no unauthorised facility would be allowed to operate.
Targeting alleged corruption in Baruipur, he warned that those involved would be arrested and brought to justice.
Adhikari also invoked the names of BJP leaders Debasish Dhar, Roopa Ganguly, Papiya Adhikari and Sarbari Mukherjee, saying the four were sufficient to take on what he described as the “tukde-tukde gang”.
In a particularly combative political message, he urged BJP workers to counter the CPI(M) and its supporters democratically.
(PTI News)
