TMC heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari resigns as West Bengal Transport Minister

Image: PTI

Rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister Suvendu Adhikari has resigned as the West Bengal transport minister on November 27, a move which comes amidst backchannel talks by the party to woo him back into the TMC fold.

Adhikari, according to reports, has been distancing himself from the ruling party in West Bengal for quite some time. He had also been addressing rallies without the TMC banner while criticising the Mamata Banerjee-led party.

Commissioners (HRBC) chairman.

According to reports quoting sources, Adhikari was unhappy with the organisational rejig effected a few months ago. He was also not comfortable with the idea of scrapping the post of the district observer as he was party's in-charge in various districts.

TMC had opened backchannel talks with Adhikari and was trying to address his grievances to retain him in the party. TMC MP Sougata Roy along with senior party MP Sudip Bandopadhyay had been assigned by the party to talk to him.

Sources close to Adhikari told The Indian Express that since the Adhikari family--- his father, Sisir, a Member of Parliament (MP) and two brothers are also a part of the TMC leadership--- takes decisions together, it is likely that other family members might also resign from the TMC fold.

Apart from East Midnapore district from where he hails, Adhikari influences about 35-40 assembly constituencies of West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram districts which fall in the tribal Jangalmahal area and parts of Birbhum district.

Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly are due in April-May next year.