KOLKATA: TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed party leaders to shut all doors to bring her disgruntled lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari to the table.
Two days after a meeting between Adhikari met CM's nephew Abhishek Banerjee and poll strategist Prashant Kishor, Mamata directed the party leaders, who were asked to deal with Adhikari, to close the episode. She asked the party functionaries to prepare for the fight in the upcoming Assembly elections without Adhikari, a former minister in her cabinet.
The impasse between the TMC legislator, who stepped down as a minister continued even after the negotiation talk on Tuesday night. After the meeting, TMC MP Saugata Roy, who was communicating with the rebellious leader, said the issue was sorted out and Adhikari would be in the party.
TMC sources said Adhikari told in the meeting that he would clear his political stance on December 6. Once the trusted lieutenant of Mamata, he is said to be miffed with the senior TMC leaders for divulging the details of the meeting in the media and claiming that all differences with him had been sorted out.
In a WhatsApp message a day after the negotiation meeting, Adhikari said that it would be tough for him to work in the party.
After Adhikari’s dismay over the party’s claim, Roy said, "Whatever I had stated on Tuesday night was the truth about the outcome of the meeting. Now, if Suvendu changed his position, it is for him to clarify. I have nothing more to say."
Amid strong speculations that Adhikari might join the BJP, the saffron camp’s leaders said the door for him is open. "If he wants to join our party, we will welcome him," said state BJP president Dilip Ghosh.