Suvendu Adhikari, Mamata Banerjee’s aide, quit as TMC MLA

ENDING speculation, Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday, December 16 literally snapped all relations with the West Bengal’s ruling TMC saying it is not a democratic party. He drove all the way from Nandigram in East  Medinipur to the state assembly in Kolkata and submitted resignation letter addressed to the Speaker from the party as MLA. Earlier, he had resigned as Cabinet Minister from the Mamata government ahead of the state assembly elections to be held five months away. Suvendu, 50, was also member of the 16th Lok Sabha . West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh has hailed his decision and said he is welcome to the saffron party amid media reports that he will join BJP in presence of Home Minister Amit Shah during his coming visit to the eastern state. Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy, MP, called him betrayer. He was close to TMC supremo Mamata Bannejee. Several MLAs belonging to TMC are reportedly in touch with Suvendu, an influential leader from the region. They are also likely to follow in his footsteps reducing TMC’s majority support in the state assembly before the assembly polls. Earlier, Dilip Ghosh had predicted collapse of Mamata Government before the end of the calendar year.