Why must it always be 'of the party, by the party, for the party': Suvendu Adhikari slams TMC

'Why should it always be 'of the party, by the party and for the party' here? According to the constitutional democracy is of the people, by the people and for the people,' he said.

Indicating that it was a just a matter of time before he leaves the Trinamool Congress (TMC), disgruntled party leader and former minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday lashed out at his party over terming those coming from other states as outsiders.

His comments fueled speculations that he might join the BJP soon.

Referring to the relationship of "mutual respect" between a freedom fighter and former MP Satish Chandra Samanta and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Adhikari said that Samanta never called Nehru “an outsider” neither did Nehru dub him as a "non-Hindi speaker".

"Our biggest identity is that we are Indians. First, we are Indians and then we are Bengalis," said Adhikari. He was speaking at an event at Haldia in East Medinipur district.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had dubbed BJP as a "party of outsiders" that was trying to impose an alien culture on Bengal.

Adhikari said that he would always stand by people in their fight to restore democracy, and there should not be absolute control of one party in every sphere of society and administration.

"Why should it always be "of the party, by the party and for the party" here? According to the constitutional democracy is of the people, by the people and for the people,” said Adhikari.

Lashing out at his detractors in the TMC, Adhikari said that those who were “conspiring” against him should remember that he had been in many battles and was physically attacked several times.

Once a trusted lieutenant of the TMC supremo, Adhikari took a veiled dig at Mamata saying that the land agitation at Nandigram 2007 was not the "personal success" of anyone but the "united fight" of the people.

"Some have said that people came to my rallies because I was a minister. I resigned as a minister on November 27 but even then people are coming to my rallies. They are not being brought by the BJP, CPM, Congress or the TMC," said Adhikari.

Adhikari said those who were resorting to “personal attacks” against him would face the same political obscurity of once-influential CPM leaders such as Anil Basu, Lakkhan Seth and Benoy Kongar one when people would cast their votes.

Meanwhile, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said that he “called Suvendu to wish him on his birthday” fueling speculations over his joining the BJP.