TMC holds crunch talks with Suvendu Adhikari

Senior TMC MP Sougata Roy on Tuesday (November 24) held crunch talks with party MP Suvendu Adhikari in Kolkata. This was the third meeting between the two leaders this week.

A day after talks remained inconclusive between the Trinamool Congress and party MP Suvendu Adhikari, senior TMC MP Sougata Roy on Tuesday (November 24) held crunch talks with the dissenting party leader in Kolkata. This was the third meeting between the two leaders this week.

According to reports, Suvendu Adhikari is unhappy with poll strategist Prashant Kishore, who has been handed the responsibility to drive TMC's campaign for the next year's West Bengal Assembly elections.

Mamata Banerjee-led party has opened back-channel talks with Adhikari and is leaving no stone unturned in addressing his grievances in a bid to retain him in the party. Sougata Roy and another party MP Sudip Bandopadhyay have been assigned to talk to him.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a charm offensive for the unhappy TMC MP and is trying to woo him ahead of the Assembly elections.

TMC has opened back channel talks with Suvendu Adhikari and is trying to address his grievances to retain him in the party.

Sougata Roy along with senior party MP Sudip Bandopadhyay has been assigned by the party to talk to him.

Adhikari apart from East Midnapore district, from where he hails, has influence in about 35-40 assembly constituencies of West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram districts which fall in the tribal Jangalmahal area and parts of Birbhum district.

Elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly are due in April-May next year.