Trinamool's Abhishek Banerjee Slams BJP's Suvendu Adhikari On Home Turf

Abhishek Banerjee held a massive rally in Midnapore, just a few kilometres from Suvendu Adhikari's home.

Trinamool Congress MP and Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday held a massive rally in Midnapore, just a few kilometres from the home of his former party colleague Suvendu Adhikari, where he targeted the latter for "selling Midnapore's pride" by joining the BJP.

"The people of Midnapore won't forget those who have insulted this soil. People will answer with votes. Each and every action will be answered. Traitors will be shown the door. The unfaithful will be shown the door. The person who has sold Midnapore's pride to his masters in Delhi will be shown the door. Raise your voice. Shanti Kunj (Suvendu Adhikari's residence) is just 5 km away. The house should shake when you raise your voice. We shall fight in the coming days. We will answer. The person who has played around with the trust of the people of Midnapore needs to be answered," Abhishek Banerjee said as he levelled volley of charges against Mr Adhikari.

Abhishek Banerjee told the crowd that Mr Adhikari had plans to break the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after the elections. "Why is he envious? Because East Midnapore has 16 seats, Murshidabad has 22 seats, Malda has 12 seats and Uttar Dinajpur has 9 seats. Together it is around 50 seats. The TMC will win 35 seats in the worst-case scenario. He had plans to join the BJP with 35 MLAs and try and become Chief Minister. He has admitted that he has been in touch with Amit Shah since 2014. We knew that and that's why we didn't trust you," he said

"Don't you have any shame? You are talking about the feelings of Midnapore. The people of Midnapore have never sold their spine," Mr Banerjee said at the rally around 5 km from Mr Adhikari family residence "Shantikunj".

Mr Banerjee said that his party will win over 250 seats in the upcoming assembly elections due in April-May. "The Trinamool Congress will defeat the BJP and win over 250 seats in Bengal to make Mamata Banerjee the Chief Minister again. I would appeal to the people of Midnapore to make it 16-0. On all 16 seats make sure Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress candidates win. I am taking the responsibility. I will make them politically irrelevant in three months after the election. That's my responsibility. They will get an answer," he said.

Talking about Suvendu Adhikari's claim about not forming his own party, Abhishek Banerjee said": "They make big speeches and tall claims. He says a lot of people thought I would form a new political party. I have not done that because I am selfless. You are not selfless, you are ungrateful. Mamata Banerjee trusted you and appointed you to work for the people of Midnapore."

Abhishek Banerjee also claimed that Mr Adhikari was running away from a direct contest against Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram. "He says I will defeat her by 50,000 votes but I wont stand for election myself. Somebody will be the scapegoat. You claim to be a big leader, a people's leader. I know you have to function within a structure now, with a lot of rules. But why aren't you taking responsibility and telling your party that I will stand against Mamata Banerjee with the BJP symbol? Have the guts to say that publicly. No matter where you stand from in Midnapore, the people will defeat you by 50,000 votes," Mr Banerjee said.

On the Prime Minister's visit to Midnapore, Mr Banerjee said, "They say Mamata Banerjee has not come to Nandigram for five years. I want to ask you - how many times has (PrimeMinister) Modi visited Midnapore in the last five years? How many times has Amit Shah come? How many times has Rajnath Singh come? How many times has Piyush Goyal come? Tomorrow (PM) Modi is coming to Haldia. Why? Because the elections are here and he needs the votes. Trinamool will win Haldia with more than 50,000 votes."

Talking about the BJP's continued attack on him, Mr Banerjee said, "They only talk about Bhaipo (nephew). When they sleep they think of Bhaipo, when they wake up they think of Bhaipo. When they go for their morning walk they think of Bhaipo. When they eat they think of Bhaipo. They are terrorized. If they speak for 15 minutes for 10 minutes they speak about Bhaipo. They are so scared that now instead of targeting me they are targeting my wife. I have declared in public that if you can provide proof of my tolabaaji (extortion) I will walk to the gallows and embrace them."

Abhishek Banerjee also read out excerpts from a letter on Saradha accused Sudipto Sen claim on Suvendu Adhikari .

"Sudipto Sen has written in the letter that "Suvendu Adhikari took 6 crore rupees". In the next line he writes, "Suvendu introduced a man called Rakhal to me." Who is this Rakhal? I will appeal to the people of this district who have lost money in the Sarada and Rose Valley scams - surround the house of this traitor. There is no point in believing in the CBI and ED. If you want your money back surround the house of these traitors so that they cannot leave the locality," he said.