By A day after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership claimed that its differences with dissident leader Suvendu Adhikari were resolved, the former minister on Wednesday texted senior party leader and MP Saugata Roy on WhatsApp, reportedly saying, “Forgive me, it won’t be possible for me to continue.”
In his message, the former minister, who stepped down from his Cabinet position last Friday, reportedly expressed his displeasure about details of Tuesday’s meeting being leaked to the media. Sources close to Adhikari said he would address the media on December 6, and clarify his position.
Sources said Adhikari had conveyed to the party leadership that “it will be tough for him to work together with the party as its leaders had gone to the media making false claims without the problems raised by him getting resolved and without giving him a chance to speak”.
Labelling the TMC leadership’s claim of a rapprochement as “false”, people close to the TMC heavyweight said his grievances were not addressed. “Suvendu da had sought some time after the meeting to express his views. But some party leaders tried to paint a different picture altogether. He didn’t like it. And now everything has reached a dead end,” a leader close to Adhikari told PTI.
Tuesday’s meeting was attended by MP Abhishek Banerjee, who is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, senior leader Sudip Bandopadhyay, and poll strategist Prashant Kishor.
Following the two-hour-long discussions, Saugata Roy told reporters, “We met with Suvendu at around 6 pm. It was held in a very cordial atmosphere. Suvendu has some reservation on some issues…but he is very much with us. There was a need for a meeting to sort out all issues…You cannot say a chapter has ended at any point of time in politics, but I am hopeful that tomorrow [Wednesday] Suvendu will hold a press conference and will clarify his stand.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Roy mocked the Opposition for being “elated” about Adhikari’s resignation from the Cabinet.
After Adhikari resigned from the Cabinet, there was speculation that he would join the BJP.
BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said, “He has raised his voice against corrupt activities of party leaders, including that of ‘bhaipo [nephew]’. Now, party leaders are trying to keep him into the party so that such corruption does not come out in the open.
