Suvendu Adhikari says 'After Maharashtra, Jharkhand & Rajasthan next'; 'TMC has same fate'

Amid the political crisis in Maharashtra due to the rebellion of the majority of Shiv Sena MLAs which is putting the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government at risk, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari on June 27 claimed that the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress will meet a similar fate and much before its tenure ends.

The Leader Of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly also claimed that non-BJP states of Jharkhand and Rajasthan were next in queue after Maharashtra, and Bengal's turn will come after that.

Addressing a rally in the Cooch Behar district, the BJP leader said, "First, let this situation in Maharashtra be resolved. Then it will be Jharkhand and Rajasthan's turn. After that, comes West Bengal. They (TMC) will also meet the same fate (like other opposition-ruled states). This government won't last till 2026; this government will be ousted by 2024.

'Want to capture power by hook or crook': TMC

The TMC has sharply reacted to the BJP leader's remark and said that the saffron party is frustrated over its losses in the Assembly elections and was making desperate bids to seize power.

"Despite a high-pitched poll campaign, the BJP lost miserably in the elections. Now, they want to capture power by hook or crook. His comments smack of the saffron camp's frustration," TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.

TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said that Suvendu Adhikari's comments clearly state that the BJP is behind the crisis in Maharashtra. "The cat is now out of the bag. The comment proves how BJP is behind the political crisis in the western state. The BJP has been after every opposition-ruled state in the country. The people of this country will give them a befitting reply," he added.

In action against rebels, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on June 27 stripped portfolios of nine ministers. The Maharashtra Deputy Speaker also issued disqualification notices to 16 rebels but the dissident legislators approached the Supreme Court which kept in abeyance the disqualification proceedings against them till July 11.

Senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde has claimed that he has the support of over three dozen party MLAs in a revolt against the MVA government.

Image: ANI