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Suvendu Adhikari

About Suvendu Adhikari

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Who is Suvendu Adhikari?

Son of a former Union minister under Manmohan Singh-government, Suvendu Adhikari is an Indian politician from West Bengal. He was a member of the Indian National Congress from 1995 to 1998, and the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) until December 2020. He then switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
 
Adhikari was first elected in 1995 as a councillor from Congress in the Contai. Later, Adhikari was elected to Legislative Assembly from West Bengal's Kanthi Dakshin constituency and became the chairman of Kanthi Municipal Corporation. Adhikari championed the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram and led the Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee in 2007. After its success, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee made Adhikari the party-in-charge of Paschim Medinipur, Purulia, and Bankura districts.
The 50-year-old was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Tamluk constituency in 2009 after defeating rival Lakshman Seth of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M). In the 2016 Assembly elections, Adhikari got elected from Nandigram and therefore, resigned from Tamluk. He became the Minister of Transport, a post from which he resigned in November 2020. On December 17, 2020, he resigned from the primary membership of the TMC.
 
Ending his two-decade association, Adhikari thanked Chief Minister Banerjee for the opportunities given to him and said he would always value the time he spent as a TMC member.
 
In 2014, Adhikari got into a controversy when he was being interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation for his alleged role in the Saradha Group scandal. He was also accused of supplying arms to the Maoists to overthrow the CPI(M) government during the Nandigram movement.
 
Ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, Adhikari declared a net worth of over Rs 80 lakh according to the Election Commission. In an affidavit, the BJP leader has declared that he has criminal cases pending against him as well.
 
Adhikari's father Sisir Adhikari and brother Dibyendu are sitting MPs from Tamluk and Kanthi Lok Sabha constituencies. The family wields considerable influence over at least 40-45 assembly segments in Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, parts of Birbhum -- mainly in the Junglemahal region -- and some areas in minority-dominated Murshidabad district.
 

West Bengal election 2021

Suvendu Adhikari, who rebelled against his former party TMC to join BJP, is contesting West Bengal Assembly elections 2021 from Nandigram constituency against Mamata Banerjee.

Latest Updates on Suvendu Adhikari

He said this while holding a protest march in Behala against the arrest of ISKCON Bangladesh priest Chinmoy Krishna Das

Updated On: 27 Nov 2024 | 7:05 AM IST

In West Bengal, bypolls will be held in six assembly constituencies on November 13

Updated On: 11 Nov 2024 | 12:59 PM IST

Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, made this assertion while campaigning for the BJP candidate at Taldangra assembly seat in Bankura district

Updated On: 09 Nov 2024 | 8:02 PM IST

It reveals more than dysfunction; it unveils a clash of ideologies

Updated On: 15 Sep 2024 | 11:21 PM IST

Earlier in the day, the BJP leader alleged that four student activists of the saffron party, who were scheduled to arrive at the Howrah station, were missing from midnight

Updated On: 27 Aug 2024 | 3:00 PM IST

He further criticised the state government, saying, "Instead of addressing the issue seriously, the State Government has formed an 11-member inquiry committee

Updated On: 10 Aug 2024 | 11:24 AM IST

After individually listening to the alleged victims of post-poll violence, Bose assured them of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence in the state

Updated On: 16 Jun 2024 | 11:30 PM IST

A division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam said the court will take up the BJP leader's petition for hearing on Wednesday

Updated On: 10 Jun 2024 | 2:37 PM IST

While the BJP looks emboldened by its recent rural poll successes and the Adhikari family's defection to the saffron camp, the TMC seems to be counting on its grassroots connections

Updated On: 22 May 2024 | 10:08 AM IST

The woman said that she was misled by a local BJP Mahila Morcha functionary and other party members, who initially sought her signature under the guise of enrolling her for PMAY

Updated On: 09 May 2024 | 12:10 PM IST

At least five people were killed and over 200 were rendered homeless, after a sudden storm and heavy rain wreaked havoc in Jalpaiguri town and its surrounding areas on March 31

Updated On: 15 Apr 2024 | 1:10 PM IST

From AAP's plans to launch protests across the capital to Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari complaining to EC against TMC, catch all the latest updates from around the world here

Updated On: 24 Mar 2024 | 11:17 PM IST

He urged the ECI to look into the list of 16 police officers he provided, claiming they are non-IPS officers but occupy positions designated for IPS officers

Updated On: 24 Mar 2024 | 6:54 AM IST

Adhikari also said this data would certainly help in "assessing the risk posed by the illegal buildings, which have been built without valid permission"

Updated On: 21 Mar 2024 | 10:39 AM IST

Modi, while addressing a rally here, said whatever happened with women in Sandeshkhali is a matter of shame

Updated On: 06 Mar 2024 | 1:51 PM IST

Anti-incumbency against TMC and Mamata Banerjee cannot be discounted. In the end, it all depends on whether she is able to address the deeper structural problems in her party

Updated On: 04 Mar 2024 | 8:39 AM IST

The single bench on Wednesday allowed BJP MLA Adhikari to visit Haldarpara in Jeliakhali village panchayat area of Sandeshkhali on Thursday

Updated On: 29 Feb 2024 | 1:24 PM IST

The TMC spokesperson claimed that Shahjahan got inducted into the TMC holding Adhikari's hands when the latter was in the TMC and the duo was even spotted in photographs together

Updated On: 29 Feb 2024 | 7:13 AM IST

Adhikari said that protesters in Sandeshkhali have claimed that they have not voted since the time Mamata Banerjee came to power

Updated On: 29 Feb 2024 | 7:03 AM IST

Taking to X, Adhikari, the Nandigram MLA, claimed Shajahan was in police custody since 12 am after being "taken away from Bermajur gram panchayat

Updated On: 28 Feb 2024 | 1:28 PM IST