TMC MP Sisir Adhikari divested of another post after son Suvendu joined BJP

Nearly a month after politicalheavyweight Suvendu Adhikari joined the BJP, his father andTMC Lok Sabha MP Sisir Adhikari was on Wednesday removed asEast Midnapore district president in continued attenuation ofthe Adhikari family in West Bengal's ruling party.

Senior TMC minister Soumen Mahapatra, a knowndetractor of the Adhikari family, replaced Sisir Adhikari, whowas made chairperson of the core committee of the party'sdistrict unit, a less important post.

The development came a day after Sisir Adhikari wasremoved from the post of chairman of Digha-ShankarpurDevelopment Authority (DSDA).

TMC MLA Akhil Giri, also a detractor of the Adhikarifamily, replaced Sishir Adhikari as the chief of DSDA, whichis responsible for the upkeep and development of the beachtown in East Midnapore.

In a sign of the widening rift with the TMC, theAdhikaris have been maintaining distance from the party andthe government.

''Party supremo Mamata Banerjee has assigned me aresponsibility. I will work with Sisirda to strengthen theparty in the district,'' Mahapatra said.

When contacted, the 80-year-old Adhikari said he isnot bothered about the development.

''I was the district president since 2006. If they(TMC) felt I was not needed, then it is upto them to decide onit. I have nothing to say,'' he said.

Senior TMC leader Sougata Roy said Adhikari was unwelland unable to discharge his duties as district president. Sohe was replaced with a comparatively younger leader, the TMCMP said.

According to sources, Adhikari had told his closeassociates that he was unhappy with the way party leaders havebeen attacking his family.

Suvendu switched over to the BJP last month and laterpersuaded his brother Soumendu to change sides after he wasremoved as administrator of the Kanthi municipality.

His another younger brother Dibyendu Adhikari is theMP from Tamluk Lok Sabha seat.

Reacting to the development, BJP leaders said theyhoped the veteran parliamentarian would join the saffronparty.

''We are hopeful that he will also join us. He is aveteran leader,'' BJP national vice president Mukul Roy said.

While speaking to reporters, Suvendu said, it is forhis father to decide his next course of action as the TMC willnever reward his competence.

''TMC has turned into a private company. It has noplace for competent leaders. It is place for sycophants. It isup to my father what he wants to do next,'' he said.

According to TMC sources, the party leadership was nothappy with senior Adhikari's silence over Suvendu's ceaselessattack on the party after he switched over to the BJP.

The influential political family gave Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee's rally in their stronghold of West Medinipurdistrict a miss last month, prompting her to accuse the BJP oftrying to break her party by using ''moneybags''.

The Adhikari family wields considerable influence inat least 40-45 assembly segments in East and West Midnapore,Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, parts of Birbhum -- mainly in theJunglemahal region - and areas in minority-dominatedMurshidabad district.