Suvendu's exit turns boon for Trinamool, workers now geared up for united fight

Kolkata: After Suvendu Adhikari's exit from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), every worker of the ruling party—from the booth to district committee level—is gearing up for a united fight for its victory in all 16 Assembly constituencies. As the workers claim, Suvendu's exit has freed the party from 'divide and rule' policy, which was endorsed by the defector to maintain autocracy in East Midnapore.

According to the present district leadership, the party workers in East Midnapore have got an impetus to give a tough fight ahead of the Assembly polls with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee fighting from Nandigram

constituency.

At the same time exit of Adhikari "has come as a boon" for the party as workers in the district can now "democratically express their feelings, views and suggestions", helping the party to get the actual picture of its strength and weaknesses, said the party's MLA from Ramnagar, Akhil Giri.

"Even elected gram Panchayat members had no right to make their independent decisions. An aura of awe used to exist earlier even a couple of months ago and party workers were left traumatised for various reasons. No one likes dictatorship. Now, it is clear to everyone why the defectors used to suppress the views of others," Giri added.

TMC had bagged 13 out of 16 seats in East Midnapore in 2016. In 2019 Lok Sabha elections too, the party had bagged both – Contai and Tamluk – seats.

Though there were strong observations at different quarters that Adhikari moving out of the party would be a major loss, it actually helped to reorganise the party up to the grassroot level. This will give dividend to the party in the forthcoming crucial elections, feels the party insiders in the district.

"Just wait and watch what happens next," said the party's present district president Saumen Mahapatra. He said in context of close associates of Adhikari including Siraj Khan and Suresh Karan rejoining Trinamool

Congress.

Even flood leader of the Zilla Parishad, Madhurima Mondal, who had attended three to four rallies of Adhikari, did not leave the party realising the mistake she was going to commit and now giving her best for TMC.

"Neither, I would attack anyone personally nor play the blame game. But, I would like to say that the party in the district has got freedom from the divide and rule policy that used to take place even a couple of months ago," thundered Mahapatra.

A party leader in the district, who does not want to be named, said earlier only extended meetings of district committees used to take place once a year with at least 500 people and with a huge arrangement of food and all.

This used to take place when the district committee had around 50 leaders and the core committee had 15 to 16 leaders.

Meanwhile, Adhikari remained unavailable for comments despite repeated attempts made to contact him over the phone.