Suvendu Adhikari’s father and an MP, Sisir Adhikari today joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and shared Dias with Union home minister Amit Shah at Egra in Purba Medinipur, his home turf, in Bengal.
Suvendu and his two sons wield influence over more than 30 seats in Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia and could help BJP wrest control of these seats.
Adhikari has been with the Trinamool Congress for 23 years and was even a minister in former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government for six years.The veteran politician who was the chairman of the prestigious Digha-Shankarpur Development Council and president of the Trinamool’s district unit, was removed from the post earlier this year.
On March 13, BJP MP from Hooghly and the party’s assembly poll candidate from Chunchura, Locket Chatterjee had visited the Adhikari residence and had lunch with him.
“They (TMC leaders) forced me to join the BJP. Let them (TMC) do what they want, and I will do what I can,” said Adhikari Sr. to PTI before he left for Egra.
After Suvendu Adhikari’s switch to the BJP, his brother Soumendu Adhikari too joined the BJP after Trinamool removed him as the administrator of Contai Municipality. There is speculation that Sisir Adhikari’s other son Dibyendu Adhikari, a Trinamool MP from Tamluk, may also follow suit.
