'History proves backstabbers can never reach any higher place': TMC on Suvendu Adhikari

Downplaying the impact of former West Bengal Minister Suvendu Adhikari's exit from TMC and joining BJP, ruling party leader Subrata Mukherjee said that TMC is not surprised with his decision and that such things have happened before in the TMC.

"Our leader Suvendu Adhikari left our party and went to their (BJP) party. We are not surprised. Some are saying our party is doomed. Nothing happened. This has happened before too, but our party will remain in the name of democracy. It is not that this will never happen again. It happens in other parties too," Mukherjee said while addressing a press conference on Sunday.

In a veiled attack on Suvendu Adhikari and several other party members who quit TMC, only to join BJP which has emerged as a prime challenger to the ruling party in West Bengal, Subrata Mukherjee called them traitors who cannot be trusted and could "deceive anyone again".

"If our party wins, Mamata Banerjee will be our Chief Minister. Even if outsiders come and fight us, we will still fight them. Those who stab their own party and go to another party can never be true to anyone. History proves that they can never reach any higher place. We call them traitors. I believe they will deceive anyone again. We believe the people of Bengal will stand by us," he added.

Mukherjee defends Mamata Banerjee

After Union Home Minister Amit Shah made statements against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday, TMC leader Subrata Mukherjee on Sunday said that Mamata Banerjee never switched sides and was never associated with other parties.

While addressing a press conference on Sunday, Mukherjee said, "Yesterday, Union Minister Amit Shah said that Mamata Banerjee left a party to join another. Mamata never switched sides. In 1998, she left Congress and formed a new party which is TMC. She was never associated with any other party."

While addressing a rally in Paschim Medinipur on Saturday, Shah said, "The Tsunami I am seeing in Bengal today, I must say that this is something that Mamata Banerjee would not have thought this would happen. By the time the elections come, the entire scene in Bengal would change. Didi, watch out. You (Mamata Banerjee) will be left alone by the time polls come."

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Political temperature rises in West Bengal

In a setback to TMC, former West Bengal cabinet minister Suvendu Adhikari joined BJP ahead of the assembly polls which are likely to be scheduled in April-May 2021. This occurred despite the TMC leadership held hectic parleys with the disgruntled leader to continue his association with TMC. Apart from Adhikari, close to two dozen other politicians joined the BJP in presence of Amit Shah on Saturday. Whereas, BJP is riding high on its Bihar and by-polls victory, the Union Home Minister exuding confidence of winning over 200 seats in West Bengal, a highly ambitious figure as the party won 18 seats of the 42 seats of West Bengal in 2019 Lok Sabha election. The saffron party has kickstarted ground-level activities in the run-up to 2021 elections.

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