Old grudge against Suvendu's nepotism affects TMC in Purulia

KOLKATA: Despite winning a landslide victory in the state, the poll result for Purulia fell short of Trinamool Congress' expectations with the party winning only three out of nine Assembly seats in the district.

Political analysts opined that turncoat Suvendu Adhikari's alleged

nepotism in giving appointment

to the primary teachers from Midnapore — ignoring local youths — and infighting issues led to TMC's dissatisfactory performance in the district.

Local leaders alleged that Adhikari's nepotism left behind a deep scar, which hadn't healed yet.

As a result, Shantiram Mahato, seven-time MLA and former minister of Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs department lost to his nearest BJP rival Baneshwar Mahato by only 423 votes from Balarampur Assembly seat. Sujoy Banerjee, Sabhadhipati Zilla Parishad, was defeated in Purulia seat.

In 2017, Adhikari — who used to look after the district on behalf of TMC — did not give appointment to local youths as primary teachers. On the contrary, the youths from East and West Midnapore were appointed, local leaders alleged.

The grudge was so intense that TMC lost the Purulia Lok Sabha seat in 2019.

"The local youths are yet to recover from the shock. They voted for the BJP out of sheer anger," said local leaders, claiming that infighting led to the defeat of Shantiram Mahato.

There were some with vested interests who had worked hard to ensure Mahato's defeat. The appointment of 150 Group D staff in Purulia Medical College from outside also went against the party.

"The party should take a stock of the situation and the leadership should be changed.

"There are allegations against the luxurious lifestyle of some leaders who had lived a very simple life until recently. These issues need to be addressed to get better results," local leaders maintained.