Mahua’s remarks on Adhikari’s past support fuel party-switch speculation on social media
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Amid political turbulence in West Bengal and growing talk of fissures within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), remarks by party MP Mahua Moitra, a fierce critic of the BJP, recalling the support she once received from senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, fuelled speculation on social media about a possible political realignment, though she firmly maintained that no such bonhomie remains between them today.
The Krishnanagar MP, in an interview with an international media outlet, reflected on the formative years of her political career and acknowledged the role Adhikari played during some of her most challenging moments within the party.
Recounting the disappointment she experienced after being denied a Lok Sabha ticket in 2014, Moitra said she had been emotionally devastated and uncertain about her political future. It was during that period, she recalled, that Adhikari reached out with words of encouragement.
“Sister, I am with you,” Adhikari had told her, according to Moitra, offering reassurance at a time when she felt isolated and disheartened.
She further remembered that during the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections, when she contested from Karimpur, Adhikari was among the first senior Trinamool leaders to campaign on her behalf. He also addressed the constituency’s inaugural public meeting, lending crucial organisational and political support to her campaign.
Despite speaking warmly about those memories, Moitra stressed that the relationship belongs firmly to the past. She stated that she no longer maintains contact with Adhikari, who crossed over to the BJP in 2020 and has since emerged as one of Mamata Banerjee’s fiercest political adversaries.
“I have not forgotten the help he extended to me,” Moitra remarked, while making it clear that the personal goodwill she recalled should not be interpreted as reflecting any present-day political understanding.
Her comments have nevertheless generated considerable interest in Bengal’s political circles, arriving at a time when reports of internal discord within the Trinamool Congress continue to dominate public discourse. The remarks swiftly triggered speculation across social media platforms, with some users suggesting they could signal a thaw in relations between the two leaders or even hint at broader political developments.