Suvendu Adhikari

Suvendu Adhikari (born 15 December 1970)^[4] is an Indian politician from Bharatiya Janata Party who is the current Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly since 2021 and a member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly from Nandigram Assembly constituency since 2021 and from Contai South (Vidhan Sabha constituency) from 2006 to 2009.^[5]

Suvendu Adhikari
Suvendu Adhikari in 2024
Leader of Opposition, West Bengal Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 May 2021
Governor	Jagdeep Dhankhar La. Ganesan (additional charge) C. V. Ananda Bose
Deputy	Mihir Goswami
Preceded by	Abdul Mannan
Chairperson of Jute Corporation of India
In office 31 December 2020[1] – 2 March 2021[2]
Preceded by	Ajay Kumar Jolly
Minister of Environment Government of West Bengal
In office 2018–2020
Governor	Jagdeep Dhankhar
Chief Minister	Mamata Banerjee
Preceded by	Sovan Chatterjee
Succeeded by	Mamata Banerjee[3]
Minister for Transport, Government of West Bengal
In office 27 May 2016 – 27 November 2020
Governor	Keshari Nath Tripathi Jagdeep Dhankhar
Chief Minister	Mamata Banerjee
Preceded by	Aroop Biswas
Succeeded by	Firhad Hakim[3]
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office 16 May 2009 – 19 May 2016
Preceded by	Lakshman Chandra Seth
Succeeded by	Dibyendu Adhikari
Constituency	Tamluk
Member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 May 2016[a]
Preceded by	Firoja Bibi
Constituency	Nandigram
In office 2006–2009
Preceded by	Sisir Adhikari
Succeeded by	Dibyendu Adhikari
Constituency	Contai South
Personal details
Born	(1970-12-15) 15 December 1970 (age 54) Contai, West Bengal, India
Political party	Bharatiya Janata Party (2020–present)
Other political affiliations	Indian National Congress (1995-2000) Trinamool Congress (2000-2020)
Parent	Sisir Adhikari (father)
Relatives	Dibyendu Adhikari (brother)
Residence(s)	Contai, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal
Alma mater	Netaji Subhas Open University (M.A.)
Profession	Politician

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.^{[6][7][8][9][10]}

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.^[11][12] Adhikari is unmarried.^[13]

One of Suvendu's brothers, Soumendu, is the chairman of the Kanthi municipal corporation.^[12] 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.^[11]

Early Political career

Adhikari was first elected as a councilor from Indian National Congress in the Kanthi Municipality in 1995.^[14] 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.^[11]

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.^[15][16][17] This movement catapulted Mamata Banerjee to the centre-stage of Bengali politics.^[17] The state CID alleged that Adhikari had supplied arms to the Maoists to wage an armed movement against the state government.^[18][19]

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.^[17] In 2009, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Tamluk constituency.^[20] He defeated his nearest rival Lakshman Seth of Communist Party of India (Marxist) by a margin of approximately 173,000 votes.^[21]

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.^[16] After getting elected, he resigned as an MP from Tamluk constituency.^[22] He was sworn in as the Minister of Transport in the Second Mamata Banerjee ministry on 27 May 2016.^[23] 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.^[24] He also resigned as West Bengal Transport Minister on 27 November 2020.^[25] 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.^[26] On 17 December 2020 he resigned from the primary membership of All India Trinamool Congress.^[27][28]

On 19 December 2020, he joined Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of Home Minister Amit Shah.^[29][30]

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.^[31] Mamata Banerjee has filed an election petition in Calcutta High Court challenging the verdict of Nandigram.^[5]

On 10 May, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad announced Suvendu Adhikari as leader of the BJP legislature party in the West Bengal assembly.^[32]

Electoral history

• 1995 : Elected as a councillor from Indian National Congress in the Contai Municipality
• 2006 : Elected to West Bengal Vidhan Sabha, from Kanthi Dakshin (Vidhan Sabha constituency) as member of AITC .^[33]
  • Resigned mid-term to join Lok Sabha
• 2009 : Elected to Lok Sabha, from Tamluk (Lok Sabha constituency), member of AITC (All India Trinamool Congress)^[34]
• 2014 : Elected to Lok Sabha, from Tamluk (Lok Sabha constituency)
  • Resigned mid-term to join Vidhan Sabha
• 2016 : Elected to West Bengal Vidhan Sabha, from Nandigram (Vidhan Sabha constituency), member of AITC^[35]
• 2021 : Elected to West Bengal Vidhan Sabha by beating Mamata Banerjee, from Nandigram (Vidhan Sabha constituency), member of BJP^[35]

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.^{[36][37][30][38]}

See also

• 2021 Nandigram controversy
• Mukul Roy
• Arjun Singh
• Saumitra Khan
• Rajib Banerjee

Notes

1. In December 2020, he resigned from the post in order of joining to Bharatiya Janata Party in January 2021. He was re-elected on 2 May 2021 at the same constituency.

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. "CM Banerjee will take charge of Suvendu's portfolio". NDTV. 28 November 2020.
4. "FPJ Explains: Who was Subhendu Adhikari, the Bengal minister whose 'dissent' is threatening Mamata's regime?". www.freepressjournal.in. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
5. Manral, Karan (17 June 2021). "Mamata Banerjee challenges Suvendu Adhikari's Nandigram win in Calcutta High Court". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
6. Bhattacharya, Ravik (23 September 2012). "Had no work, say former TMC ministers in UPA govt". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
7. "Suvendu Adhikari -Profile". Archived from the original on 29 October 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
8. "Election Commission of India". results.eci.gov.in. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
9. "Nandigram Election Result 2021 LIVE: Nandigram MLA Election Result & Vote Share - Oneindia". OneIndia. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
10. "Nandigram Assembly Election Results 2021 LIVE - Nandigram Vidhan Sabha Election Results". Times Now. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
11. "Suvendu Adhikari". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
12. "Nandigram: Trinamool's stronghold, one family's stranglehold". Asia Net News. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
13. "ভাইরা বিয়ে করলেও অকৃতদার তিনি, জানুন কেমন শুভেন্দুর সংসার". Aaj Tak বাংলা (in Bengali). 16 December 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
14. "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.
15. Sarkar, Arindam (26 April 2007). "Mamata promises to marry off raped girls of Nandigram". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
16. "Trinamool Congress confident of victory in Nandigram". The Economic Times. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
17. "From Nandigram to Murshidabad - Suvendu Adhikari is Mamata Banerjee's all weather man". Hindustan Times. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
18. Roy, Anirban (17 July 2010). "CID to question Trinamool's Adhikari on Maoist links". India Today. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
19. "Trinamool MP accused of supplying ammo to Naxalites". India Today. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
20. "In Contai, it's family first for Trinamool's Sisir Adhikary". Indian Express. 5 November 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
21. "Nandigram swings two seats in East Midnapore in Trinamool's favour". Indian Express 17 May 2009. 17 May 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
22. "Dibyendu Adhikari to contest from Tamluk parliament constituency". India Today. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
23. "List of Ministers in Mamata's cabinet". The Hindu. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
24. "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.
25. "West Bengal: TMC rebel leader Suvendu Adhikari resigns as Transport Minister from Mamata govt". Times Now. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
26. Sanyal, Anindita (16 December 2020). "Trinamool's Suvendu Adhikari Quits As MLA Amid Reports He Will Join BJP". NDTV. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
27. "Didi aide Suvendu Adhikari exits TMC, sparks a spate of resignations". The Times of India. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
28. Phadikar, Anshuman (6 July 2021). "Suvendu Adhikari meets victims of post-poll violence in East Midnapore". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
29. "অমিত শাহের হাত ধরে বিজেপিতে যোগদান করলেন শুভেন্দু অধিকারী সহ ৯ জন বিধায়ক". Bangla Hunt (in Bengali). 19 December 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
30. "Suvendu Adhikari ends all speculation, joins BJP, delivers jolt to Mamata and TMC". India Today. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
31. "Nandigram election result 2021: Suvendu Adhikari beats Mamata by 1,736 votes". The Times of India. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
32. "Suvendu Adhikari Elected Opposition Leader In West Bengal Assembly". NDTV. PTI. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
33. "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.
34. Chowdhury, Santanu (27 November 2020). "Explained: The importance of Suvendu Adhikari — to Trinamool Congress and BJP". The Indian Express. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
35. "Mamata Banerjee Loses To Suvendu Adhikari In Nandigram, Will Go To Court". NDTV. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
36. "Saradha scam: CBI grills Trinamool MP Suvendu Adhikari". India TV. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
37. "Saradha Scam: TMC MP Adhikari says 'his decision to become CBI witness'". The Indian Express. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
38. "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.

External links