Suvendu Adhikari issues bold challenge to Mamata Banerjee; 'Will make you ex-CM soon'

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suvendu Adhikari has stepped up the ante against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said that he would retire from politics if he fails to unseat the latter from the chief ministerial post. He also took a dig at Mamata's Nandigram defeat in the 2021 assembly elections and said that the Trinamool chief had gone to defeat him, but she was sent "home" defeated.

Addressing a press conference, Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, said, "She (CM Mamata) said that she finds it very difficult to mention my name. It is because I have defeated you. You had gone to defeat me, but you were sent home defeated. You had to lose by 1,956 votes. Just start counting the days. If I could not make you the former chief minister, then I will retire from politics."

"Since 2011, you were running the government with ‘setting operation’, now you realize the real opposition. The thieves will have to go to jail. You are also involved in the Sharada case, no one will be able to save you too," he added.

Suvendu Adhikari steps up ante against CM Mamata

Attacking the TMC chief, he said, "You (Mamata Banerjee) have called me a dacoit on Monday. I challenge the Chief Minister. False cases have been filed against me. She said in a press conference that Amit Shah ji had a closed-door meeting directing BJP leaders to create riots in the state. You will have to prove that Amit Shah ji has said this."

Adhikari announced that he will move to Supreme Court with CM Mamata's speech before Ram Navami. The BJP leader alleged that Mamata gave a provocative speech to alter the peace in Bengal.

On Wednesday, the saffron party leader alleged that Banerjee's facade of "zero tolerance" in corruption is coming off. He accused the CM of defending the culprits who are facing corruption charges.

"Your MLAs got arrested as they were submerged in Corruption. Glad that your facade of "Zero Tolerance" is coming off. You're defending the culprits & once again voicing your support for them who were recruited illegally," he tweeted on Wednesday. He also called the CM a"Queen Bee of the Corruption Hive".

Notably, the TMC chief in a press conference on Wednesday slammed the Centre and said that the saffron party will not win the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "BJP is in power. That’s why they do whatever they want. But they don’t understand power is temporary, the chair may come and go but democracy will continue forever. The Constitution will continue forever, there may be some amendments. But this Constitution cannot be bulldozed. That’s why they (BJP) will not win the upcoming 2024 election," she had said.

(With inputs from ANI)