Suvendu Adhikari meets BJP chief JP Nadda; discusses post-poll violence in Bengal

BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and national party chief JP Nadda on Tuesday to discuss various issues concerning the state, including the post-poll violence. Adhikari, a former minister in Mamata Banerjee’s previous cabinet, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in December last year, months ahead of the Bengal Assembly polls.

In his first interactions with the top brass of the BJP after becoming the leader of the opposition, Adhikari also met Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya and party general secretary, Bhupender Yadav. He later met JP Nadda at his residence and discussed various issues, including political violence in West Bengal.

Talking to reporters after meeting Nadda, Adhikari asserted that the situation in his state is very grim as the BJP workers are facing a continuous threat in the state by the ruling party. The BJP stands firmly with its workers and will do everything possible for their well-being, he said.

Referring to the FIR filed against him and his brother, Adhikari said the TMC are framing BJP leaders in false cases while its goons are assaulting supporters of the party. On Saturday, the Mamata Banerjee-led party filed a complaint against Suvendu alleging he and his brother Soumendu Adhikari were stealing relief material from Kanthi municipality. 

Suvendu Adhikari to call on PM Modi

Adhikari is expected to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. His meeting with the BJP’s top brass comes days after he attended a PM-CM meeting to review the damage caused by Cyclone Yaas. The LoP’s presence had irked TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee.

Earlier in the day, he called on HM Amit Shah and several matters concerning the state. "Honourable HM assured, he was and he will be there for Bengal always," he tweeted, along with a picture of the home minister.

Adhikari had defeated West Bengal CM supremo Mamata Banerjee in a closely fought battle in Nandigram during the state Assembly polls held in March-April.