Suvendu ducks TMC’s challenge to prove allegations against Mamata

Kolkata: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari apparently has ducked the open challenge to substantiate his allegations against Mamata Banerjee, arguing that he cannot reply to a notice from a party called All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), which is allegedly non-existent after Election Commission revoked its national status.

Ever since Adhikari alleged that Mamata Banerjee begged Union Home minister Amit Shah over the phone for restoration of TMC’s national party status, the ruling party has launched a scathing attack asking him to either prove his allegations or retract his statement.

Mamata Banerjee threw down the gauntlet, challenging Adhikari that if he can prove that she begged Shah for restoration of her party’s national status, she will resign as the Chief Minister.

Replying to the notice sent to him by TMC MP Derek O’Brien, under the letterhead of All India Trinamool Congress, Adhikari, through his counsel, is learnt to have challenged the authenticity of the letter. He has argued that he cannot reply to a notice from an allegedly non-existent party named ‘All India Trinamool Congress’. He is of the opinion that after the Election Commission revoked the national party status, there is no AITC. Hence, a non-entity cannot send a legal notice.

Trinamool Congress has but ridiculed Adhikari, alleging that this was a clear attempt to duck the challenge since his bluff has been exposed. The party is also of the opinion that although the national party status has been withdrawn, the name ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ will continue to be in use. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the status may be restored in the near future but Suvendu will not be able to escape from his own trap that he has laid.

Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s national general secretary, told the media that the very fact that Suvendu failed to present evidence the next day to back his allegations again proved that he is nothing short of a “gas balloon”, and after being challenged, has now become a deflated one. He alleged that Adhikari is full of lies and has been caught red-handed. He added that there is no way out for Suvendu now since the party is anyway going to drag him to court for his “wild allegations”.