West Bengal will be seeing the first major state election in India in the year 2021.

Dinesh Trivedi of TMC resigned from the Upper House of the parliament-Rajya Sabha. In a season, when the West Bengal election is just around the corner and the ruling party of the state, TMC has seen many defections (40 odd leaders) including heavyweights like Suvendu Adhikari & Rajeeb Banerjee, resignation of Trivedi has triggered a speculation storm. There are talks about his possible shift to the saffron camp-BJP.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

In this context, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, had commented on the rife speculations on Dinesh Trivedi, stating, “Trivedi was saying he was feeling suffocated. Let him go and get admitted to BJP’s ICU.”

At a rally, held in South 24 paraganas, Abhishek stated that Mamata Banerjee would become the CM for the third time, rubbishing the assertion by the Home minister Amit Shah that BJP would win more than 200 seats in this year’s state assembly election in West Bengal. He also castigated the BJP over the controversial “Jai Shri Ram” slogan that, he said, was used by the opposition because it had no development agenda. He criticized the BJP as a “bunch of outsiders” who are unaware of the state’s culture and are spreading fake news to confuse voters.

He further refuted claims by the centre, repeated in parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, that Bengal farmers had been deprived of financial aid from the central government.

“BJP should first think of Gujarat, UP, and other states. No need to worry about Bengal. Outsiders will not rule Bengal,” Mr. Banerjee said.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

Dinesh Trivedi dropped a clear hint that he is likely to switch over to the BJP, saying that it would be a privilege to be part of the saffron camp.

His response came after West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said that Trivedi is welcome to join the party if he wants after the latter quit his Rajya Sabha seat.

“I am very grateful to BJP and its senior leaders, I was told they have said that I am welcome. It would be a privilege, no question about it. But, let me settle down,” said Trivedi.

Quoting a recent statement by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee that she wants to live with her “head held high”, Trivedi remarked that this applies to everybody.

“Mamata Banerjee rightly says ‘I want to keep my head up’, she should know that everybody should keep their head up. If there is environment of violence, then there is fear, so head is not held high,” the former Union minister said.