The leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has replied through his advocate to the legal notice sent to him by Trinamul Congress for comments accusing chief minister Mamata Banerjee of seeking Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s intervention for the restoration of the national party status of Trinamul Congress.
In his reply to the legal notice sent by Trinamul’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O Brien, Adhikari’s counsel Suryanil Das has challenged its authenticity. Indirectly referring to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to withdraw the national party status of Trinamul, Das said in the reply that currently there is no political party by the name of ‘All India Trinamul Congress’, and what exists is a regional party called just ‘Trinamul Congress’. Adhikari’s counsel argued that since a non-existent entity does not have any authority to send a legal notice, it should be withdrawn with immediate effect.
Das also said that his client will take necessary legal steps if the legal notice is not withdrawn. In the notice sent by Derek O Brien, a copy of which was also sent to Amit Shah, it was said that Adhikari’s comments at a public rally were libellous and an attempt to malign the image of the Trinamul.
The notice also asked Adhikari to withdraw his comments or face legal action. The Trinamul leadership, meanwhile, has described the reply by the leader of opposition as Adhikari’s lack of common sense, pointing out that even if Trinamul’s national party status is withdrawn, there is no bar in using the name All India Trinamul Congress.