Bharatiya Janata Party's MLA from Nandigram and leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari's statement of boycotting workers from Bengal in other states where the BJP is in power has created a conflict among his own party. On Saturday (June 5), Suvendu Adhikari while addressing media allegedly said that his party could create problems for lakhs from Bengal who work in BJP-ruled states, prompting many within the saffron camp to say the party was yet to understand Bengali sentiments.
In a statement, he said, “Forty lakh people from Bengal work outside (the state). If Trinamool Congress thinks that it can boycott BJP workers in Keshpur from having tea then even we can stop them from working in Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Noida, Surat but that isn’t BJP’s policy and we won’t do that," Adhikari told journalists.
As per a report, his reaction came after Trinamool Congress’ local unit in Mahishda, which is part of the Keshpur Assembly seat in West Midnapore, had issued a social boycott against the opposition workers.
As per the notice, the party addressed specifically to tea stall owners, names 18 persons, mostly BJP supporters and a few CPM workers, who cannot be sold tea without Trinamool’s permission.
However, BJP has condemned Suvendu's boycott call. A state BJP office-bearer said, “The poll results have proved how alienated our party is from the people of Bengal. Suvenduda’s statement will only aggravate it further."
While, the TMC has refuted the allegations of passing any such notice of boycott. Dev Adhikari, Trinamool Congress MP from Ghatal that covers Mahishda, also tweeted that party leaders had not issued the notice.
Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Trinamul MP, said, "Suvendu Adhikari sounds like a threat to poor migrating labourers of Bengal. This cannot be the language of the leader of Opposition."
He also said, “I have personally spoken to my party members in Keshpur after having seen this and they too have reconfirmed that such a notice has never been issued by any TMC party office/ members.”
