Kolkata: Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari held his first political programme outside his own constituencies in Falta, South 24 Parganas, on Saturday. This move squarely targeted Abhishek Banerjee's Diamond Harbour parliamentary constituency, a Trinamool Congress stronghold. The event came days after Adhikari unseated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Bhowanipore.
Falta Repoll Amid Allegations
Falta is scheduled for a repoll on May 21 following widespread allegations of electoral malpractice. The high-voltage confrontation between outgoing Trinamool MLA Jahangir Khan and Election Commission-appointed poll observer Ajay Pal Sharma has drawn significant attention. Khan had compared himself to the protagonist of the blockbuster film Pushpa, a smuggler-turned-strongman.
Adhikari's Direct Attack on Jahangir Khan
Addressing the rally, Adhikari took direct aim at Jahangir. "Where is that Pushpa — the dacoit? He is not seen anywhere now. The National Human Rights Commission declared 19 persons as notorious criminals in 2021. Jahangir was one of them. Leave him to me. I will take care of him," the Chief Minister said.
Earlier, police arrested Saidul Khan, a close aide of Jahangir and Trinamool's Falta vice-president, on multiple charges including death threats.
Corruption Allegations Against Trinamool
Adhikari also trained his guns on Trinamool's alleged corruption. He cited "Leaps and Bounds," a company he claimed has 24 properties in Kolkata and a "palatial office at Amtala." He announced that police would register complaints against anyone found to have siphoned funds from central schemes including PM Kisan, Krishak Bandhu, and Amphan relief. "The accused will be put behind bars," he said.
He added that call records and WhatsApp chats of three IPS officers — Vineet Goyal, Indira Mukherjee, and Abhishek Gupta — who were suspended for allegedly mishandling the RG Kar rape-murder case probe, were being examined. "You will get to see the misdeeds of the previous government once these are investigated," he said.
Appeal for Peaceful Repoll
Urging voters to ensure a peaceful repoll, Adhikari said BJP MLAs would facilitate the return of those displaced by post-poll violence, provided they were not accused of violence themselves. He also assured that all complaints of torture over the past five years would be registered. "None of the 20 BJP-governed states have any record of violence during polls," he said. He will return to Falta for a full day of campaigning on Tuesday.
