Diamond Harbour MLA Dipak Haldar joined BJP today along with several other local TMC leaders and workers at a mass joining meeting in presence of recent Suvendu Adhikari and turncoat Rajib Banerjee.
Haldar had quit TMC a day before but stated his intention to continue as an MLA. The two-time legislator’s Assembly segment is part of Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee’s constituency.
Haldar had quit the ruling party accusing the TMC leadership of not allowing him to work for the people. He had skipped a recent public rally by Banerjee, fueling speculation about his political aspirations.
Adhikari and Banerjee were confronted by Trinamul workers with black flags at Padmapukur area on their way to the meeting in Baruipur. However, a fracas was averted as two former ministers reached the meeting without predicament. As their convoy rolled out (both being z-category protected), local TMC activists gathered on the side of their route and peacefully waved black flags. BJP national vice-president Mukul Roy also attended the meeting.
Regarding the blemish on their way, Banerjee said, “Out of frustration, grassroots people are now showing us the black flag. The grassroot is in shreds and Trinamul has gone bankrupt and black flag is its indication. ”
Speaking about the incident, Trinamul MP Sougata Roy said, “It is natural for lower echelons of the party to be angry with those who have left the party after accruing gains from the government. The activists took peacefully on the side of the road and waved black flags.”
Besides the episode of black flags, Adhikari-Suvendu duo attacked the government and administration from the Baruipur meeting. Banerjee, a former state minister, said, “If the BJP comes to power, there will be permanent jobs for the unemployed. The state government is trying to mitigate the frustration of the unemployed with contract jobs. The central and state governments have to work together. TMC will give you many threats but don’t give into any of their manipulations.” At the same time, he raised a slogan similar to Dumurjala’s meeting, “Let’s change! That will increase our courage and perseverance!”
While he has politically attacked his former colleagues in terms of policy, Adhikari has sharply attacked chief minister Mamata Banerjeee’s nephew and MP Abhishek Banerjee. He said, “Trinamul is not a political party, it is a private limited company. The two run the team together. One of them is the so-called nephew. People have been brought from Bihar to run this party.” He railed at TMC, calling it ‘rice thieves, coal-thieves, and now vaccine thief’. But along with political attack, Adhikari also attacked the state government. “There are no jobs in Bengal. If Corona hadn’t inflicted I wouldn’t have known that so many people in rural Bengal work outside,” he said.
TMC’s genesis of ‘change’ which culminated in victory in 2011 was witnessed in East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas where the party had formed its district councils.
Adhikari reminded that although the district has earned the epithet of ‘Trinamul bastion’, BJP will deliver a stunning performance. “Will the minority brothers just vote for you (TMC)? Did Narendra Modiji selectively give rice and financial aid?” he asked.