West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's former minister Suvendu Adhikari, who crossed over to the BJP today, shredded his former party in a long open letter of resignation, saying "an extremely deep rot and malaise" has taken root in the Trinamool Congress and "individuals currently in charge of the party are treating it as their personal fiefdom".
Suvendu Adhikhari, a close aide of the Chief Minister credited with a big role in the Trinamool's rise, has joined the BJP with just four months to the Bengal election. In the last election, he was instrumental in consolidating the party's numbers.
His letter, without naming anyone, conveys his resentment at ace poll strategist Prashant Kishor, drafted by Mamata Banerjee to help her fight off the BJP's formidable challenge this time.
The party, he said, "was not built in 1 day with the contribution of 1 person". He called it "extremely painful" that some in charge were treating the party like their fief.
"The very people on the backs of whom the party was created are now being sidelined, humiliated and outcast. In their stead, the individuals have now hired external assistance, people with no knowledge of ground realities and no knowledge of the sacrifice it actually takes to work for a shared goal as ambitious as creating the West Bengal of our dreams," he wrote.
He said the party was filled with "Sakam Karma Bhogis" or "individuals who are not bothered about anyone but themselves, individuals who will take monetary compensation for their services and disappear as soon as the elections conclude".
He said he had decided to quit the Trinamool as it had betrayed the people's mandate.
"I have not left the Trinamool...It is Trinamool that has left its ideals behind in its relentless pursuit of power instead of service," Mr Adhikari wrote.
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