<p>In a boost to the saffron camp in poll-bound West Bengal, 15 TMC councillors of Contai Municipality led by former administrator of the civic board and younger brother of Suvendu Adhikari left the party on Friday to join the saffron camp.</p>.<p>Political heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, who quit the Trinamool Congress to join the BJP last month, handed over party flags to the councillors. Among them was his younger brother Soumendu, the former administrator of the 20-member civic body.</p>.<p>"The Adhikari family is not with the party of Pisi and Bhaipo (TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and nephew Abhisek Banerjee) any more," he said.</p>.<p>The politically influential Adhikari household has two other members in the TMC camp -- his brother Dibyendu Adhikari and father Sisir Adhikari, both MPs.</p>.<p>Earlier in the day, Soumendu had told reporters that his family had been enduring many unsavoury attacks. "But we believe in giving a befitting reply on the battlefield".</p>.<p>Suvendu Adhikari said the removal of Soumendu from the civic board was "vindictive and political" and termed the appointment of the town Trinamool Congress president and a resident of Ramnagar, who is not from Contai, as administrator as an illegal decision of the government.</p>.<p>"Soumendu has a long political career ahead of him. He had been involved in student politics and reached the post of the chairman of Contai Municipality and administrator through hard work. Like him, the other 14 councillors have long working experience as vice-chairman and in many other capacities," he said.</p>.<p>Claiming that the TMC will suffer a resounding defeat in the assembly polls due in April-May this year, Adhikari, a former minister in the Mamata Banerjee government, claimed that it had delayed the municipal polls for long as it was sure of its "imminent defeat".</p>.<p>"They (TMC) only believe in looting votes during polls. They will now learn the lesson the hard way," he said.</p>.<p>Claiming that the TMC is being run by "people from Harish Chatterjee Street" (where Mamata Banerjee's Kolkata residence is located), Adhikari claimed that the rest of the state has been reeling under neglect all these years."</p>.<p>Hitting out at Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is the TMC MP from Diamond Harbour, Adhikari said, "You had promised to leave politics if Arjun Singh won from Barrackpore and if Saumitra Khan won from Bishnupur in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Both of them won but you are yet to quit politics." He iterated that he did not form a regional party after quitting the TMC as he does not want to cut the opposition vote share and allow the ruling party to win.</p>.<p>"I want the pisi-bhaipo (aunt-nephew) run private limited company to go," Adhikari said.</p>.<p>Rubbishing claims that there was a deal between him and the BJP before he joined the saffron brigade, he said the only deal was to ensure that the over one crore farmers of this state get the PM's direct cash transfer benefit scheme in their accounts which has been prevented by the TMC government.</p>.<p>Adhikari alleged that the state welfare projects including 'Swasthya Sathi' (free medical insurance for all) are a "pack of lies". At a meeting at Nandigram, he said at least one lakh people will attend his rally there on January 8.</p>.<p>The BJP leader asserted that he will ensure that the saffron party takes lead in all assembly segments in Purba Medinipur district.</p>
<p>In a boost to the saffron camp in poll-bound West Bengal, 15 TMC councillors of Contai Municipality led by former administrator of the civic board and younger brother of Suvendu Adhikari left the party on Friday to join the saffron camp.</p>.<p>Political heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, who quit the Trinamool Congress to join the BJP last month, handed over party flags to the councillors. Among them was his younger brother Soumendu, the former administrator of the 20-member civic body.</p>.<p>"The Adhikari family is not with the party of Pisi and Bhaipo (TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and nephew Abhisek Banerjee) any more," he said.</p>.<p>The politically influential Adhikari household has two other members in the TMC camp -- his brother Dibyendu Adhikari and father Sisir Adhikari, both MPs.</p>.<p>Earlier in the day, Soumendu had told reporters that his family had been enduring many unsavoury attacks. "But we believe in giving a befitting reply on the battlefield".</p>.<p>Suvendu Adhikari said the removal of Soumendu from the civic board was "vindictive and political" and termed the appointment of the town Trinamool Congress president and a resident of Ramnagar, who is not from Contai, as administrator as an illegal decision of the government.</p>.<p>"Soumendu has a long political career ahead of him. He had been involved in student politics and reached the post of the chairman of Contai Municipality and administrator through hard work. Like him, the other 14 councillors have long working experience as vice-chairman and in many other capacities," he said.</p>.<p>Claiming that the TMC will suffer a resounding defeat in the assembly polls due in April-May this year, Adhikari, a former minister in the Mamata Banerjee government, claimed that it had delayed the municipal polls for long as it was sure of its "imminent defeat".</p>.<p>"They (TMC) only believe in looting votes during polls. They will now learn the lesson the hard way," he said.</p>.<p>Claiming that the TMC is being run by "people from Harish Chatterjee Street" (where Mamata Banerjee's Kolkata residence is located), Adhikari claimed that the rest of the state has been reeling under neglect all these years."</p>.<p>Hitting out at Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is the TMC MP from Diamond Harbour, Adhikari said, "You had promised to leave politics if Arjun Singh won from Barrackpore and if Saumitra Khan won from Bishnupur in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Both of them won but you are yet to quit politics." He iterated that he did not form a regional party after quitting the TMC as he does not want to cut the opposition vote share and allow the ruling party to win.</p>.<p>"I want the pisi-bhaipo (aunt-nephew) run private limited company to go," Adhikari said.</p>.<p>Rubbishing claims that there was a deal between him and the BJP before he joined the saffron brigade, he said the only deal was to ensure that the over one crore farmers of this state get the PM's direct cash transfer benefit scheme in their accounts which has been prevented by the TMC government.</p>.<p>Adhikari alleged that the state welfare projects including 'Swasthya Sathi' (free medical insurance for all) are a "pack of lies". At a meeting at Nandigram, he said at least one lakh people will attend his rally there on January 8.</p>.<p>The BJP leader asserted that he will ensure that the saffron party takes lead in all assembly segments in Purba Medinipur district.</p>