Suvendu warns Mamata 'not above law', says Abhishek will lose Diamond Harbour

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday cautioned Mamata Banerjee that "she is not above the law" and that "if she breaks the law, the law will take its own course." Adhikari was speaking in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

Throwing an open challenge to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, Adhikari said on the floor of the House that "Bhaipo" ("nephew" in Bengali, a reference to Abhishek Banerjee) may or may not go to jail before 2031, but he will be defeated from the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency by the same margin with which he had won. Adhikari was referring to Abhishek Banerjee's remarks at the Trinamool Congress' Martyrs' Day rally on July 21, where he said he was "jotting down things in his notebook" and that "revenge will be taken in 2031."

"Fight the elections and you will see where you end up. You will need binoculars to find your presence, just like in Falta," Adhikari said. "What did you say? Adhikari and Amit Shah could not stop us. You spoke about playing DJs and that Amit Shah should stay in the state on May 4. The people of Bengal played the DJ for you!" he said, referring to Abhishek Banerjee's speech about "playing DJ", which is being probed by the CID for allegedly inciting violence.


"Due to our decency, you still walk around with your hands in your pants pockets... like heroes... waving at 2,500 people. I am telling that kid, an established thief, whether you stay inside or outside jail, you will be defeated from your constituency," Adhikari said.

"In Diamond Harbour, where you are the MP, we will defeat you by the same margin with which you won, even though there is a 40% Muslim vote. Your condition will be worse than that of Pushpa," he said, referring to TMC candidate Jahangir Khan, who had called himself "Pushpa" in Falta.

Referring to Mamata Banerjee without naming her, Adhikari said, "Another 'international' leader yesterday said everyone is a thief. According to her, all the thieves have gone to the other side! Everyone who went to that side is a thief! Can you imagine her low taste?"

"You are such a big leader that in 2014, BJP's Tathagata Roy contested from South Kolkata and got a lead in your own booth at Mitra Institution. This time, you lost in all four booths of Mitra Institution. Even the people in the neighbouring house don't vote for you," he said.

Adhikari said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had "blessed you (Mamata Banerjee)," after which she became a major leader.

"All these 15 years, you stood on two pillars — the police and extortion. Today, both pillars are gone. The more you keep your mouth shut, the better it is for you," he said.

"She is such a communal person. She instigated riots, and the Sanatanis will never forgive her for saying that one community will finish everything," Adhikari said. "You call the RSS communal. A few days ago, during the Coromandel Express accident, where people from West Bengal were affected the most, doctors informed us that because of RSS swayamsevaks, many people survived. They donated 650 bottles of blood. Do we need a certificate from you?"

Slamming Mamata Banerjee, Adhikari said she would never return to power.

"Whether the grass flower (the TMC symbol) remains with you or you have to draw something new, the Election Commission will decide," he said.

Adhikari also said that all old cases would be re-investigated as part of the work of the new judicial commission headed by Justice Biswajit Basu.