Suvendu jumped ship from Trinamool Congress (TMC) to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah
West Bengal Speaker Biman Banerjee has accepted Suvendu Adhikari’s resignation letter as MLA after the latter met Banerjee in person on Monday. After his resignation letter was accepted, Suvendu met West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata.
“The West Bengal Assembly Speaker had asked me to appear before him in person with regards to my resignation. He asked me if I had tendered my resignation letter as MLA on my own free will, to which I said yes. He told me that my resignation letter was accepted,” said Suvendu.
The Speaker also confirmed the same. “Suvendu appeared before me and told me that he resigned without being under pressure from anyone. I am satisfied that his resignation is of his own free will and authentic. Hence, I accept his resignation with immediate effect,” Banerjee said.
On December 17, Suvendu tendered his resignation as party MLA to the Assembly Secretary after being disgruntled with the party. On December 19. In the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah at a BJP rally, Suvendu joined the BJP. Suvendu’s resignation led to a domino effect within TMC, as many MLAs, MP and other party leaders also resigned from the party and followed his footsteps by joining the BJP, months before West Bengal’s 2021 Assembly Elections.
Meanwhile, a family drama is unfolding in West Bengal's political scene as BJP youth front president Saumitra Khan said that he will be sending the divorce papers to his wife, Sujata Mondal Khan for joining TMC from BJP.
"I am heartbroken to see a decade-long relationship is ending in this fashion," Khan said with tears rolling down his cheeks at a press conference, adding that "the Lakshmi (Goddess Lakshmi) of my house has been stolen."
"Sujata, I am sending you the divorce papers. Please sign them and do not use my surname, Khan, from today," he said.
Sujata joined TMC on Monday in the presence of TMC MP Saugata Roy and spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. On joining her new party, Sujata alleged at a press conference that the BJP is promising other party leaders high posts to join them instead of giving such posts to BJP loyalists.
"Despite sacrificing everything to get my husband elected to the Parliament, I have got nothing in return. I want to work under Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee," Sujata said at the press conference.
