Suvendu Adhikari is an Indian politician from West Bengal. Suvendu was considered a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC), but resigned from the Trinamool Congress in December 2020 and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Wiki/Biography
Suvendu Adhikari was born on Tuesday, December 15, 1970 (53 years old; as of 2023) in Contai, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal. He graduated in Arts from PK College, Contai and later obtained his Master of Arts from Rabindra Bharati University in 2011.
appearance
Height (approximate): 5′ 5″
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Black
Family and caste
Suvendu Adhikari was born into a Hindu Brahmin family. His father, Sisir Kumar Adhikari, is a member of the Trinamool Congress and has been serving as the Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Kanthi constituency since 2009, serving his third term.
Suvendu’s father Sisir Kumar Adhikari
Suvendu’s mother’s name is Gayatri Adhikari. His younger brother Dibyendu Adhikari is also a TMC politician. Dibyendu was elected as an MP from Tamluk constituency in 2019 as a TMC member.
Suvendu’s brother Dibyendu Adhikari
His younger brother Soumendu Adhikari was also a member of the Trinamool Congress but after Suvendu switched to the BJP, he also joined the BJP.
Suvendu Adhikari The youngest brother Soumendu Adhikari
Suvendu also has two siblings: a brother and a sister.
Profession
Suvendu Adhikari started his political career in 1995 when he joined the Indian National Congress (INC). In 1995, he was elected as the MP of Kanthi, West Bengal, from the Indian National Congress. After the TMC was formed as a political party in 1998, Suvendu became one of the first people to become a principal member of the TMC. In 2006, Adhikari entered the West Bengal Legislative Assembly for the first time as a TMC MP from Kanthi Dakshin constituency. In the same year, he was also elected as the Mayor of Kanthi Municipal Corporation.
He played an important role in the Singur-Nandigram land movement in 2007. The movement was launched to protest against the then ruling Left Front government in West Bengal’s decision to set up a special economic zone by acquiring 1,000 acres of land in the village. Throughout the movement, he was considered the pioneer of the movement. The success of the movement helped TMC expand its political base in West Bengal.
Suvendu Adhikari (centre) with TMC workers during the Nandigram movement
In 2009, he was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Tamluk constituency, defeating his closest rival, Rashman Seth of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) by nearly 173,000 votes. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he won the Tamluk constituency again, defeating Ibrahim Ali of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Ahead of the 2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections, the TMC fielded Suvendu against Abdul Qadir Sheikh of the Left Front and Indian National Congress alliance in the Nandigram constituency. After winning the election, he resigned as Tamluk MP and joined the Congress. On 27 May 2016, after the formation of the TMC government for the second time in a row, he was appointed as the state’s transport minister.
In November 2020, as speculations of a rift between Suvendu Adhikari and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee intensified, Suvendu began resigning from state government posts one after another. First, he resigned as chairman of the Hooghly River Bridge Committee (HRBC) on November 26, 2020. Then, he resigned as West Bengal Transport Minister on November 27, 2020. Finally, he submitted his resignation as Nandigram MP, which was approved on December 21, 2020. However, when the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly initially refused to accept his resignation on technical reasons, he gave up his principal membership of the TMC on December 17, 2019. Two days later, on December 19, 2020, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a rally accompanied by Amit Shah.
Suvendu Adhikari poses with BJP leader Amit Shah after he supported the BJP
He also took away nine TMC MPs and one MLA to join the BJP.Political commentators said this was a huge setback for the TMC ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.
BJP leader and former TMC leader Suvendu Adhikari and Rajib Banerjee attend a BJP public rally at Murjara Stadium in Howrado in January 2021
Suvendu Adhikari has filed his nomination as a candidate for the Nandigram constituency ahead of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections 2021. His former party chief Mamata Banerjee has also filed her nomination as a candidate for the Nandigram constituency.
Ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections, Suvendu Adhikari filed his nomination application for the Nandigram constituency
He defeated Mamata Banerjee from Nandigram constituency by 1736 votes in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. He was chosen by the BJP as the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly on May 10, 2021. He represented the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Kanthi constituency in West Bengal and won.
dispute
- In 2010, he was accused of supplying ammunition to Maoists in Nandigram in a bid to overthrow the Left Front government in West Bengal.
- In 2014, Suvendu Adhikari’s name emerged in the Saradha Group financial scandal after a former employee of the Saradha Group testified that the company’s head Sudipto Sen had met Adhikari before absconding to Kashmir. Suvendu subsequently refuted all such allegations against him.
sign
address
Vill-Nandanayakbar, PO+PS-Nandigram, Purba Medinipur District, Pin-721631
net worth
Suvendu Adhikari’s net worth is over Rs 80 lakh. Of this, his total movable assets are worth Rs 59,31,647 and his bank deposits are Rs 46,15,513. The above information was declared by Suvendu Adhikari in the election affidavit filed with the Election Commission ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.
Facts/Trivia
- The same day that Suvendu Adhikari joined the BJP, the Home Ministry granted him a Z+ security cover in West Bengal and a Y+ security cover in other states.
- He currently has a pending criminal case, which he stated in his candidacy affidavit filed with the Election Commission.
- Suvendu Adhikari is very interested in football and cricket.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education