‘Big Bengal dacoit’ will be put behind bars by January 13, says Suvendu Adhikari

Addressing a public meeting near Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence, Adhikari said, “Some people are asking me about the December 12 date and also about the December deadline. Well, I do not believe in gimmicks. What I meant earlier is that we have taken this fight against the TMC government to a crucial stage. If not December 12, then January 13. A very influential dacoit of Bengal who amassed huge properties and looted people’s money will be put behind the bars by then.”

The BJP leader said, “My party never said big developments will take place on these dates. It was only my belief that big things would happen. It can happen on the dates mentioned by me or it can take place on January 13 but it won’t be February 14.”

Earlier, Adhikari had claimed that TMC government would not survive beyond December. On a number of occasions, he has hinted at the BJP forming the government in the state once the TMC dispensation fails to prove its majority in the Assembly.

Backtracking from his earlier statements, Adhikari said, “I never said that the state government will fall in December or we would topple it. We will not form a government here in such a manner. We don’t need the support of 70 MLAs from the TMC. We will not engineer defections as we will never take support from corrupt leaders of this party.”

Targeting TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, he said, “Where is babu sona (Abhishek Banerjee)? Where has he fled? I have come here today but he is nowhere to be seen. He and his aunt have gone to Meghalaya at a time when I am holding a public meeting in their neighbourhood. This means they are scared of me.”

He also accused the state police of working at the behest of the TMC and warned them that their masters will soon be nowhere to save them. “Instead of working as TMC cadre, the police must mend their ways. If not, then be prepared to face the consequences,” said Adhikari.

Referring to the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) held on Sunday, Adhikari alleged that a TMC leader in Murshidabad district helped a candidate write papers from outside the exam centre while many leaders of the ruling party ensured that their relatives got seats in exam centres located near their residences.

Also, in an apparent reference to BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh, Adhikari said that he does not give media bytes everyday while going for a morning walk. It may be noted that Ghosh speaks to the media after his morning walk and had recently criticised Adhikari for issuing such deadlines.

The TMC slammed the BJP leader for making “baseless claims” in a bid to hog limelight. “People should ask him what happened to his December 12 deadline. Will he keep deferring the date? He is beginning to make a mockery of himself. By doing this, he will lose credibility and people’s support,” said TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh.

Earlier in the day, Suvendu moved a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Calcutta High Court seeking appointment of a retired HC judge as special observer for the upcoming panchayat elections in the state in 2023.

He also sought deployment of central forces during the elections, apprehending highhandedness on the part of ruling TMC workers. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj is likely to take up the petition for hearing on Tuesday.