Kolkata Jan 19 PTI BJPs leader of the opposition in the Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees ambitions of being projected as a national leader by contending her planned campaign in Uttar Pradesh on behalf the Samajwadi Dal would boomerang Adhikari reacting to an announcement that Banerjee would campaign for Akhilesh Yadav as part of a show of opposition unity in the countrys most populous state which is going to the polls in February-March claimed on Wednesday that the Sanatan Hindu community would reject the chief minister given her appeasement politics for one community in Bengal Her campaign in UP will do more harm than good for SP the former aide to Banerjee claimed Adhikari had on several instances in the past too played what analysts see as Hindu card while accused the chief minister of appeasing minorities Reacting to Adhikaris statement TMC state spokesman Kunal Ghosh said Whatever Suvendu has become today in his political career and as a former minister he owes to Mamata Banerjee However he doesnt have any sense of gratitude Ghosh pointed out Banerjees popularity and acceptability across the country had risen after TMCs landslide victory in last years Bengal Assembly poll BJPs star campaigner Yogi Adityanath had on the other hand addressed several sparsely attended meetings during the Bengal polls as he had no standing among its people he said Adhikari had been one of Banerjees lieutenants in the Nandigram movement against the setting up of a chemical hub by the then Left Front government by displacing farmers He rose rapidly through the TMC ranks and was considered close to the chief minister However he defected to BJP months before the West Bengal assembly polls and managed to defend the Adhikari familys pocket borough in Nandigram by a slender margin in a controversial election against the TMC supremo The Nandigram legislator said Her presence will be counterproductive as brutality in post-poll violence in Bengal against political opponents has shaken the conscience of the nation and made the common man antagonistic to Trinamool Congress TMC does not intend to contest in Uttar Pradesh and will support Samajwadi Party in the fight against the BJP senior SP leader Kiranmoy Nanda had said on Tuesday after meeting Banerjee at her residence Describing Banerjee as one of the most prominent anti-BJP faces in the country Nanda said the TMC supremo will visit Varanasi in February but the date is yet to be fixed To a question about the hearing of the case relating to Mukul Roys continuation as PAC chairman Adhikari said We are waiting for the Supreme Court verdict in the case BJP had moved the speakers office in July 2021 contending that Roy who had joined TMC after winning on BJP ticket from Krishnanagar Dakshin assembly seat cannot occupy the PAC chairmans post as it is traditionally given to a senior opposition MLA in the house Responding to the BJP leaders comments Ghosh said Adhikari should first explain why his father Sisir Adhikari is not stepping down as MP despite being elected on a TMC ticket in 2019 He should not continue as TMC MP after pledging his support to Amit Shah in 2021 January in a public rally Why is Suvendu silent on this he asked PTI SUS KK JRC JRC

Kolkata Jan 19 PTI A day after Samajwadi Party annoumced that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will campaign for it jointly with party president Akhilesh Yadav for the February-March Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claimed that she will be rejected by devout Hindus in the politically important state The santan Hindu community in Uttar Pradesh specially in places like Mathura Brindavan and Varanasi will reject Banerjee due to her appeasement politics for one community in Bengal and disallowing immersion of Durga idols in the past as the Puja had coincided with Muharram the BJP leader said playing the Hindutva card as in the campaign for the Bengal poll Her campaign in UP will do more harm than good for SP he said The Nandigram legislator said Her presence will be counterproductive as brutality in post-poll violence in Bengal against political opponents has shaken the conscience of the nation and made the common man antagonistic to Trinamool Congress Reacting to Adhikaris statement TMC state spokesman Kunal Ghosh said Whatever Suvendu has become today in his political career and as a former minister and ex-MP he owes it to Mamata Banerjee but he doesnt have the minimum gratitude Adhikari had been a protege of Banerjee and a part of the Nandigram movement by TMC He had defected to BJP months before the state poll and had defeated the TMC supremo Ghosh claimed that Banerjee enjoys popularity and acceptability across the country especially after TMCs landslide victory n the last Bengal Assembly poll BJPs star campaigner Yogi Adityanath had on the other hand addressed several sparsely attended meetings during the Bengal polls as he has no standing among its people TMC will not contest in Uttar Pradesh and will support Samajwadi Party in the fight against the BJP senior SP leader Kiranmoy Nanda had said on Tuesday after meeting Banerjee at her residence Describing Banerjee as one of the most prominent anti-BJP faces in the country he said the TMC supremo will visit Varanasi in February but the date is yet to be fixed To a question about the hearing of the case relating to Mukul Roys continuation as PAC chairman Adhikari said We are waiting for the Supreme Court verdict in the case The apex court was moved in connection with the case BJP had moved the speakers office in July 2021 contending that Roy who had joined TMC after winning on BJP ticket from Krishnanagar Dakshin assembly seat cannot occupy the PAC chairmans post as it is traditionally given to a senior opposition MLA in the house Responding to the BJP leaders comments Ghosh said Adhikari should first explain why his father Sisir Adhikari is not stepping down as MP despite being elected on TMC ticket in 2019 He should not continue as TMC MP after pledging his support to Amit Shah in 2021 January in a public rally Why is Suvendu silent on this he asked PTI SUS KK KK KK