Kolkata: In a reflection of the fact that the widening gap between him and the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal appears unbridgeable, state transport and irrigation minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday resigned from his position.Although he has not resigned from the TMC yet, speculation is rife that he might opt to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Governor Jagdeep Dhankar, who is at odds with the Mamata Banerjee dispensation, said “due process will be followed” with Adhikari’s resignation.Today at 1:05 pm a resignation letter of Mr. Suvendu Adhikari from office as minister addressed to Hon’ble Chief Minister has been forwarded to me.The issue will be addressed from constitutional perspective. pic.twitter.com/cxjF68uomH— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) November 27, 2020Ministers are appointed by the Governor under Article 164 of the Constitution on the advice of the Chief Minister.Mr. Suvendu Adhikari resignation as minister @MamataOfficial has been forwarded to me for information.There will be adherence to due constitutional process. pic.twitter.com/oAz2o3rQsa— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) November 27, 2020Bengali news channels have quoted sources who have said that Adhikari may meet members of the BJP brass at the Kolkata airport.Adhikari had served his resignation from the post of Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners’ (HRBC) chairman on Wednesday night. The state government on Thursday appointed Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee as the new incumbent.Banerjee was appointed to the post with “immediate effect” in an order issued by the state transport department on Thursday evening.The development came just a day after chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo, announced at a rally in Bankura that she is the sole observer of the party in all the districts of the state.Also read: BJP Insists TMC Members Are Lining up to Jump Ship, but No Major Leader Has in a YearThis was assumed to be a direct snub of Adhikari, as he was the party’s in-charge in various districts.An unhappy leaderApart from East Midnapore district from where he hails, Adhikari influences about 35-40 assembly constituencies of West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram districts which fall in the tribal Jangalmahal area and parts of Birbhum district.His distance with the party thus comes at a cost just months before polls to elect members to the 294-seat Bengal assembly.Adhikari has not attended state cabinet meetings for some months, and had been visibly unhappy with the organisational rejig brought about a few months ago.“We are hopeful of solving the situation,” a senior TMC leader had said on Thursday, to PTI.TMC had also reportedly opened backchannel talks with Adhikari and was trying to address his grievances to retain him in the party. TMC MP Sougata Roy and senior party MP Sudip Bandopadhyay have been assigned by the party to speak with him.That two rounds of talks between the ruling TMC and Suvendu Adhikari have remained inconclusive was visible with Friday’s resignation.(With PTI inputs)
