Union home minister Amit Shah (Reuters)
KOLKATA: Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Kolkata on Friday night on a two-day visit to take stock of the BJP s affairs in the state as the assembly elections draw near, amid a rebellion within the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Speculations are rife that heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, who quit the Trinamool Congress and gave up cabinet portfolios in the Mamata Banerjee government, may join BJP during Shah s visit along with a slew of disgruntled TMC leaders, including some MLAs such as Silbhadra Dutta and Jitendra Tiwari.
Shah will be staying at a hotel in Newtown after arriving in Kolkata, a BJP leader said.
In a third jolt to the Trinamul Congress within 24 hours, Barrackpore MLA Shilbhadra Dutta resigned from the party on Friday.
Dutta, a two-term MLA, said he has sent the resignation letter to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee by email, triggering speculations that he may join a long list of party leaders who have either joined the BJP or is willing to, ahead of the assembly elections, likely in March-April.
“I think that I am unfit in the party in the present scenario. But, I will not resign as an MLA,” he told reporters.
“Why should I resign as an MLA? I have won by people s votes. If I go (resign) away, where will they go,” he added.
Amid Rebellion in TMC, Amit Shah to Reach Bengal Today on a 2-day Visit
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Kolkata: Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Kolkata on Friday night on a two-day visit to take stock of the BJP s affairs in the state as the assembly elections draw near, amid a rebellion within the ruling Trinamool Congress. Speculations are rife that heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, who quit the Trinamool Congress and gave up cabinet portfolios in the Mamata Banerjee government, may join BJP during Shah s visit along with a slew of disgruntled TMC leaders, including some MLAs such as Silbhadra Dutta and Jitendra Tiwari.
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Amit Shah on two-day visit to Bengal from tomorrow
Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Kolkata on Friday night on a two-day visit to take stock of the BJP s affairs in the state as the assembly elections draw near, amid a rebellion within the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Speculations are rife that heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, who quit the Trinamool Congress and gave up cabinet portfolios in the Mamata Banerjee government, may join BJP during Shah s visit along with a slew of disgruntled TMC leaders, including some MLAs such as Silbhadra Dutta and Jitendra Tiwari.
Shah will be staying at a hotel in Newtown after arriving in Kolkata, a BJP leader said.
Top TMC leaders may join BJP during Shah’s Bengal visit
December 18, 2020
Home Minister Amit Shah - PTI×
Amid open war of words between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, Union Home Minister Amit Shah started his two-day visit to West Bengal on Friday night. There are speculations that TMC leaders such as Suvendu Adhikari, MLA Silbhadra Dutta and Jitendra Tiwari may join the BJP during his visit.
After his meeting with NIA officials, Shah will visit Swami Vivekanada’s residence in north Kolkata to pay tributes. He will also travel to Midnapore to pay tributes to revolutionary Khudiram Bose and offer puja at two temples, according to the State BSP. He will address a rally at Midnapore and the TMC leaders are likely to join the BJP during this rally on Saturday. On Sunday, Shah is scheduled to visit the Visva Bharati university in Shantiniketan.