Big bang in Bengal politics! Veteran leader sitting on his knees in the crowded meeting, said – ‘I sinned by being in TMC, now I am atoning’

West Bengal politics is known for its theatrics and emotional turns, but whatever happened recently in Egra assembly constituency stunned everyone. Senior leader Shishir Adhikari, who was once a very strong pillar of Trinamool Congress (TMC), is now standing in the camp of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a public meeting organized in support of his son and BJP candidate Divyendu Adhikari, he took a step which has sparked a new discussion in the political atmosphere of Bengal.

While giving a speech on the stage, Shishir Adhikari suddenly got down on his knees and bowed his head on the ground and started apologizing to the public. He admitted with a heavy heart that he had committed many mistakes while in TMC and now he wanted to atone for those ‘sins’.

Regret of being in TMC and public apology

In this public meeting held in Alangiri, Egra, Shishir Adhikari’s style appeared quite emotional. He told the open forum, “I have committed a sin by being in TMC, now I am atoning for it.” After this he put the cloth (Uttar) around his neck, knelt down and placed his forehead on the ground. Seeing a senior leader repenting like this, the people present there also became emotional. Political pundits believe that this was not just an apology, but could also be a deliberate strategy to create a direct emotional connect with the voters.

‘Begged for votes’ for son Divyendu

The real purpose of this emotional appeal of Shishir Adhikari was to garner support for his son and BJP candidate Divyendu Adhikari. With folded hands he requested the public to make his son win with a huge majority. He assured that Divyendu is completely dedicated to the development of this area and serving the people. The Adhikari family has been dominant in East Medinipur district for years, hence this appeal of a father has the power to completely change the electoral equations.

Strict warning on violence and promise of fair voting

Along with being emotional, Shishir Adhikari also gave a strict message to the miscreants. He assured the voters that they should go to vote without any fear. Without directly naming any party, he warned that if anyone tried to create obstruction or indulge in violence during voting, the central security forces would deal with them sternly. He appealed to the people to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise to strengthen democracy.

Political credibility and changes of Adhikari family

The political legacy of the Adhikari family in West Bengal is very old and deep. Shishir Adhikari was an MP for a long time and was considered close to Mamata Banerjee. However, now his entire family has leaned towards BJP. One of his sons, Suvendu Adhikari, has become the face of BJP in the state, while the other son, Divyendu, is contesting from Egra. This change in the family is giving a new strength to BJP in the politics of East Medinipur, which can prove to be a big challenge for TMC.

What will be the effect of this atonement?

At the last juncture of elections, this kind of public repentance is considered a surefire weapon to generate sympathy in the minds of voters. With this, BJP is expected to get additional benefits in Egra and its surrounding areas. At the same time, this incident is like a shock for TMC, because this family, which was once the base of the party, is now standing as the biggest shield against them. It will be interesting to see what impact this ’emotional card’ has on the election results in the coming days.