Weeks after resigning as a minister from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s cabinet, disgruntled Trinamool Congress leader Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday quit as an MLA from the Assembly, bringing finality to his decision to sever ties with the party months ahead of the assembly polls.

Known to be once close to the Chief Minister, Adhikari recently quit as Transport minister saying that it was “difficult for him to work with the party”. This came amid speculation that the 50-year-old leader was BJP-bound.  

Following his resignation, the party leadership had reached out to him seeking reconciliation. Senior TMC leader Saugata Roy, who was among those who held talks with Adhikari to resolve the differences, had said the “party will not say anything more on the issue and now it is for him to speak up”.

Reacting to Adhikari’s resignation, state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said, “It was bound to happen. Many MLAs left TMC earlier too and joined our party. There’s no democracy or respect for people in TMC. Those who want to join in the change in Bengal and contribute to its development are leaving TMC and joining us,” reports ANI.

Adhikari rose to prominence in the party as a mascot of the Nandigram movement that added to the political heft of Mamata Banerjee and catapulted her to power. Himself a two-term former MP, Adhikari’s father Sisir Adhikari and brother Dibyendu are sitting TMC MPs from Tamluk and Kanthi Lok Sabha constituencies respectively.

The family wields considerable influence in at least 40-45 assembly segments in West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, parts of Birbhum — mainly in the Junglemahal region and areas in minority-dominated Murshidabad.

The state polls are likely to be held in April-May next year.