Trinamool Congress MLA Suvendu Adhikari quit from Bengal's legislative assembly on Wednesday, taking another step away from the party against which he openly rebelled last month, quitting the post of minister in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's cabinet. There is speculation that the 50-year-old may join the BJP during Union Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state later this week.
The Trinamool has been firefighting to retain Adhikari, who wields considerable influence over the local party leaders in Malda, Murshidabad, Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore, where he was the party in-charge.
After he quit the ministry, the party had rushed senior leader Sougata Roy to reason with him, reported NDTV. Roy had even managed to get Adhikari to meet with his bete noire in the party, Trinamool MP and Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee.
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor had been present at the meeting, which Sougata Roy had declared a success.
The very next day, Mr Adhikari texted Roy to say "Excuse me, I cannot work like this anymore."
