Suvendu Adhikari

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Suvendu Adhikari
Shri Suvendu Adhikari BJP.jpg
Suvendu Adhikari in 2024
Leader of the Opposition, West Bengal Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
13 May 2021
Relatives Dibyendu Adhikari (brother)
Residence(s) Contai, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal
Alma mater Netaji Subhas Open University (M.A.)
Profession Politician

Suvendu Adhikari (born 15 December 1970) is an Indian politician who has served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the West Bengal unit of Bharatiya Janata Party since May 2021. Adhikari previously worked in the state ministry for the West Bengal government from 2016 to 2020. He was elected Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Nandigram in 2016 and 2021, previously for South Contai in 2005, and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamluk in 2009, and 2014. [4]

Contents

He previously served as the Minister of Transport from 2016 to 2020, Irrigation and Water resource from 2018 to 2020 in the Government of West Bengal. He was also a member of Lok Sabha from Tamluk from 2009 to 2016 and the chairperson of Jute Corporation of India from 2020 to 2021. He was a former member of the Trinamool Congress from 1998 to 2020 and Indian National Congress from 1995 to 1998. He is the son of Sisir Adhikari, Member of Parliament and former Union Minister of State for Rural Development in the Manmohan Singh government. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Early life and education

Adhikari was born on 15 December 1970 to Sisir Adhikari and Gayatri Adhikari at Karkuli in Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal. Sisir Adhikari is a politician, and former Minister of State in Second Manmohan Singh ministry and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kanthi constituency in 2019. [10] [11] Adhikari is unmarried. [12]

One of Suvendu's brothers, Soumendu, was the chairman of the Kanthi municipal corporation , now elected from Kathi Lok Sabha constituency in 18th Lok Sabha. [11] Dibyendu Adhikari, elected to Lok Sabha in 2019 from Tamluk constituency, is also his brother.

Adhikari received a Master of Arts degree from Netaji Subhas Open University. [10]

Early political career

Adhikari was first elected as a councillor from Indian National Congress in the Kanthi Municipality in 1995. [13] In 2006, Adhikari was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Kanthi Dakshin constituency. He also became the chairman of Kanthi Municipality in the same year. [10]

In 2007, Adhikari spearheaded the anti-land-acquisition movement in the Nandigram. He led the Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee. The ruling Left Front government in West Bengal planned to acquire 10,000 acres of land in the village to set up a special economic zone. [14] [15] [16] This movement catapulted Mamata Banerjee to the centre-stage of Bengali politics. [16] The state CID alleged that Adhikari had supplied arms to the Maoists to wage an armed movement against the state government. [17] [18]

After Adhikari's success in Nandigram, Banerjee made him the party's observer (in-charge) of the Jangal Mahal i.e. Paschim Medinipur, Purulia and Bankura districts. He was successful in expanding the party's base in these districts. [16] In 2009, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Tamluk constituency. [19] He defeated his nearest rival Lakshman Seth of Communist Party of India (Marxist) by a margin of approximately 173,000 votes. [20]

In the 2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, Adhikari was pitted against Abdul Kadir Sheikh of the Left Front - Indian National Congress alliance in Nandigram constituency. [15] After getting elected, he resigned as an MP from Tamluk constituency. [21] He was sworn in as the Minister of Transport in the Second Mamata Banerjee ministry on 27 May 2016. [22] Adhikari resigned from the post of chairman of Hooghly River Bridge Commission (HRBC), a statutory body under the Government of West Bengal on 26 November 2020. [23] He also resigned as West Bengal Transport Minister on 27 November 2020. [24] He had tendered his resignation to the speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly as MLA on 16 December 2020 which was not accepted by the speaker initially on grounds of technicality. However, it was eventually accepted on 21 December 2020. [25] On 17 December 2020 he resigned from the primary membership of All India Trinamool Congress. [26] [27]

On 19 December 2020, he joined Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of Home Minister Amit Shah. [28] [29]

2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election

He defeated the sitting chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram assembly seat in 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election by 1,956 votes. [30] Mamata Banerjee has filed an election petition in Calcutta High Court challenging the verdict of Nandigram. [4]

On 10 May, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad announced Suvendu Adhikari as leader of the BJP legislature party in the West Bengal assembly. [31]

Electoral history

Controversies

Saradha scam

Adhikari was interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation in September 2014 for his alleged role in the Saradha Group financial scandal. A former employee of the company alleged the company's head Sudipto Sen met Adhikari before fleeing to Kashmir. Adhikari rejected such allegations. [35] [36] [29] [37]

Narada Sting Operation Case

Adhikari has been linked to the Narada sting operation case. The case originated from a 2014 sting operation conducted by Mathew Samuel, in which several TMC leaders, including Adhikari, were allegedly filmed accepting cash bribes from a company in exchange for promised favours. While Adhikari denied the allegations and questioned the authenticity of the footage, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched investigations into the matter. In 2021, after Adhikari's defection to the BJP, the probe attracted renewed attention due to the political implications and ongoing legal proceedings. The case remains under investigation. [38] [39] [40]

Communal Remarks

In March 2025, Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, sparked controversy by making a communal remark during a protest over the suspension of BJP MLAs, stating that Muslim MLAs would be "thrown out" of the Assembly when the BJP came to power. The comment provoked strong backlash from Trinamool Congress leaders, including Humayun Kabir and Siddiqullah Chowdhury, and led to the tabling of a censure motion by the Treasury Benches. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the remark, accusing the BJP of promoting divisive politics. The BJP defended Adhikari, claiming he made the comment outside the House while being suspended. The episode intensified communal and political tensions in the state, with protests, Assembly walkouts, and a police complaint filed by former Congress MLA Ali Imran Ramz against Adhikari for his communal rhetoric. [41] [42]

See also

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ Podder, Debasish (31 December 2020). "জুট কর্পোরেশন অফ ইন্ডিয়ার চেয়ারম্যান হচ্ছেন শুভেন্দু অধিকারী, নতুন বছরেই নিয়োগ". Hindustan Times (in Bengali). Retrieved 31 December 2020.
    2. ↑ "BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari likely to step down as Chairperson of Jute Corporation of India". ANI News. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    3. 1 2 "CM Banerjee to retain transport portfolio following Suvendu Adhikari's resignation". NDTV . 28 November 2020.
    4. 1 2 Manral, Karan (17 June 2021). "Mamata Banerjee challenges Suvendu Adhikari's Nandigram win in Calcutta High Court". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    5. ↑ Bhattacharya, Ravik (23 September 2012). "Had no work, say former TMC ministers in UPA govt". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    6. ↑ "Suvendu Adhikari -Profile". Archived from the original on 29 October 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
    7. ↑ "Election Commission of India". results.eci.gov.in. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
    8. ↑ "Nandigram Election Result 2021 LIVE: Nandigram MLA Election Result & Vote Share - Oneindia". OneIndia. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    9. ↑ "Nandigram Assembly Election Results 2021 LIVE - Nandigram Vidhan Sabha Election Results". Times Now. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    10. 1 2 3 "Adhikari, Shri Suvendu". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
    11. 1 2 Bhattacharya, Kajari (31 March 2018). "Nandigram: Trinamool's stronghold, one family's stranglehold". Asianet Newsable. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
    12. ↑ "ভাইরা বিয়ে করলেও অকৃতদার তিনি, জানুন কেমন শুভেন্দুর সংসার". Aaj Tak বাংলা (in Bengali). 16 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
    13. ↑ "The importance of being Suvendu Adhikari: Why the TMC strongman is miffed with the party leadership". Times Now. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
    14. ↑ Sarkar, Arindam (26 April 2007). "Mamata promises to marry off raped girls of Nandigram". Hindustan Times . Retrieved 27 April 2019.
    15. 1 2 "Trinamool Congress confident of victory in Nandigram". The Economic Times . 4 May 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
    16. 1 2 3 "From Nandigram to Murshidabad - Suvendu Adhikari is Mamata Banerjee's all weather man". Hindustan Times . 26 August 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
    17. ↑ Roy, Anirban (17 July 2010). "CID to question Trinamool's Adhikari on Maoist links". India Today . Retrieved 27 April 2019.
    18. ↑ "Trinamool MP accused of supplying ammo to Naxalites". India Today . 16 July 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
    19. ↑ "In Contai, it's family first for Trinamool's Sisir Adhikary". Indian Express . 5 November 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
    20. ↑ "Nandigram swings two seats in East Midnapore in Trinamool's favour". Indian Express 17 May 2009. 17 May 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
    21. ↑ "Dibyendu Adhikari to contest from Tamluk parliament constituency". India Today . 17 October 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
    22. ↑ "List of Ministers in Mamata's cabinet". The Hindu . 27 May 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
    23. ↑ "TMC's Suvendu Adhikari steps down as Bengal minister a day after resigning as Hooghly commission chairman". India Today. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
    24. ↑ "West Bengal: TMC rebel leader Suvendu Adhikari resigns as Transport Minister from Mamata govt". Times Now. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
    25. ↑ Sanyal, Anindita (16 December 2020). "Trinamool's Suvendu Adhikari Quits As MLA Amid Reports He Will Join BJP". NDTV. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
    26. ↑ "Didi aide Suvendu Adhikari exits TMC, sparks a spate of resignations". The Times of India. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    27. ↑ Phadikar, Anshuman (6 July 2021). "Suvendu Adhikari meets victims of post-poll violence in East Midnapore". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
    28. ↑ "অমিত শাহের হাত ধরে বিজেপিতে যোগদান করলেন শুভেন্দু অধিকারী সহ ৯ জন বিধায়ক". Bangla Hunt (in Bengali). 19 December 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    29. 1 2 "Suvendu Adhikari ends all speculation, joins BJP, delivers jolt to Mamata and TMC". India Today. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    30. ↑ "Nandigram election result 2021: Suvendu Adhikari beats Mamata by 1,736 votes". The Times of India. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    31. ↑ "Suvendu Adhikari Elected Opposition Leader In West Bengal Assembly". NDTV. PTI. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    32. ↑ "जानिए कौन हैं शुभेंदु अधिकारी, जिन्होंने ममता को दिया जोर का झटका; कभी उनकी सरकार में थे नंबर 2". Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd (in Hindi). 16 December 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    33. ↑ Chowdhury, Santanu (27 November 2020). "Explained: The importance of Suvendu Adhikari — to Trinamool Congress and BJP". The Indian Express. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    34. 1 2 "Mamata Banerjee Loses To Suvendu Adhikari In Nandigram, Will Go To Court". NDTV. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
    35. ↑ "Saradha scam: CBI grills Trinamool MP Suvendu Adhikari". India TV. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
    36. ↑ "Saradha Scam: TMC MP Adhikari says 'his decision to become CBI witness'". The Indian Express . 25 September 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
    37. ↑ "Suvendu Adhikari, other BJP MLAs walk out of Bengal Assembly after an exchange of words with treasury bench". Deccan Herald. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
    38. ↑ "ED files charges in Narada case. TMC: Why protect BJP's Suvendu Adhikari?". The Times of India. 2 September 2021. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 16 June 2025.
    39. ↑ "THE STING IN FULL". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
    40. ↑ "Why PM sharing stage with Suvendu who is accused in Narada case: TMC hits back on corruption charge". The Economic Times. 2 March 2024. ISSN   0013-0389 . Retrieved 16 June 2025.
    41. ↑ "Suvendu Adhikari's 'Muslim MLAs to be thrown out' claim: Why the Left-Congress may be the real loser". The Times of India. 15 March 2025. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 16 June 2025.
    42. ↑ Singh, Shiv Sahay (12 March 2025). "Muslim MLAs will be thrown out of Bengal Assembly when BJP comes to power, says Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 16 June 2025.
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