BJP’s Nandigram candidate Suvendu Adhikari on Monday filed his nomination, in which he mentioned a list of 25 criminal cases that he has been named in.
These include the following accusations:
attempt to murder
criminal intimidation
deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings
rioting and promoting enmity between groups
video on hateful and casteist remarks
sexual harassment and other remarks that outrage modesty and are casteist
word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of women
assault or force used against a public servant to deter or prevent them from performing their lawful duties
defamation
violations of provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act
violations of provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act
However, Adhikari declared in his affidavit that he was not convicted in any of the cases. Most of the cases filed are in the districts pertaining to rural constituencies with fewer cases filed in the urban constituencies.
The Leader of Opposition (LoP) is also contesting from the urban constituency of Bhabanipur against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Adhikari won from the Nandigram constituency against CM Banerjee in the 2021 Assembly elections by 1,956 votes.
Notably, he only had one case back in 2021, as compared to the 25 cases currently pending against him. Still, Adhikari is confident of his victory—not just in Nandigram, but also in Bhabanipur.
“Like Nandigram, Mamata is losing in Bhabanipur,” said Adhikari in a public rally after filing his nomination. Adhikari also believes the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) will benefit the BJP in Bhabanipur.
“Bhabanipur is BJP’s. By stealing votes, unknown outsiders and fake voters, Mamata has won, which after SIR won't be possible. Modiji and Nitin Nabin made me contest from there to stop the hooliganism. Till 23rd I will be in Nandigram, after 24th I will be in Bhabanipur. After stopping Mamata’s win on 29th, sealing the strongroom, I will leave. We will see on May 4th,” the LOP added.
In his nomination affidavit, Adhikari also mentions his profession as a politician and businessman, with his sources of income listed as his MLA salary, MP pension, and his business—with his total annual income as declared in the Income Tax returns is Rs 17,38,500.
Adhikari has been a Lok Sabha MP in 2009 and 2014 and has also held the transport and irrigation portfolios as a part of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government.
As per his last nomination papers filed from Nandigram in 2021, Adhikari's net worth exceeded Rs 1 crore, while his assets currently amount to Rs 83,20,702.