Who Is Riju Dutta? Suspended TMC Leader Praises Suvendu Adhikari For ‘Saving 5,000 Workers’ After Bengal Poll Violence

Suspended Riju Dutta has triggered a fresh political controversy in West Bengal after openly praising newly-appointed Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and sharply criticising the leadership of the All India Trinamool Congress. Riju Dutta, who was suspended by the party for six years over alleged disciplinary violations, claimed that Adhikari prevented large-scale violence in Bengal after the killing of his personal assistant following the Assembly election results. His remarks have added to the growing unrest within the TMC after its crushing defeat in the state elections.

Praise for Suvendu Adhikari sparks political row inside TMC

Speaking to ANI, Riju Dutta said Suvendu Adhikari showed restraint during a highly tense situation after his close aide was shot dead on May 6. According to Dutta, the BJP leader could have called for revenge but instead appealed for calm. “Suvendu Adhikari has saved the lives of at least 5,000 Trinamool Congress workers. His PA was shot on May 6. If he had called for revenge in Bengal that night, 5,000 TMC workers would have been killed. Instead, he asked everyone to maintain peace and not take the law into their own hands,” Riju Dutta said.

The remarks quickly created a storm because Riju Dutta was once a prominent TMC spokesperson before being suspended for six years due to alleged violations and non-compliance with the party’s disciplinary committee.

Riju Dutta says Adhikari deserves Chief minister’s chair

As per reports, Riju Dutta did not stop at praising Adhikari’s handling of the violence issue. He went on to describe the BJP leader’s political journey as “unmatched” and claimed he was the most deserving person to become Chief Minister of West Bengal after Mamata Banerjee.

“In the history of India, if a list of top 10 politicians is made, Mamata Banerjee’s name will be there. But Suvendu Adhikari’s CV is different. He has been an MP, a cabinet minister, and later defeated Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram. He is the only person who deserves to sit in the chair of the Chief Minister of West Bengal,” he said. The comments from Riju Dutta have come at a politically sensitive moment, with the TMC already facing criticism and internal rebellion after its poor election performance.

Allegations against party leadership deepen internal tensions

Riju Dutta also launched a strong attack on the party’s leadership structure and blamed internal management issues for the TMC’s decline. He accused the leadership of allowing an outside organisation to influence the functioning of the party. “Didi and Abhishek Banerjee must take responsibility for how an outsider organisation (I-PAC) managed to capture the entire part,” he said. The suspended leader’s comments added to the growing list of voices inside the party publicly questioning the leadership after the electoral setback.

Former junior sports minister Manoj Tiwari had earlier criticised senior minister Aroop Biswas and accused him of blocking development work because of internal insecurity. “This corrupt government got the people’s treatment it deserved, because it never worked for people’s good, never intended to fulfil the promises it made and only cared about its personal interests,” Manoj Tiwari had said in a social media video message.

More TMC leaders question strategy after election defeat

Several other leaders have also raised concerns about the functioning of the party. Senior leaders, including Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury and Atin Ghosh, reportedly questioned the political management style of Abhishek Banerjee and accused him of being “single-handedly responsible for bringing the party down.” Separately, TMC candidate Ratna Chatterjee also expressed unhappiness over what she described as a “lack of access to the leadership during a crucial phase of the election campaigning.”

However, the Trinamool Congress later issued a clarification distancing itself from such comments. “We wish to clarify that any such statements made in the media or shared on social media platforms represent the personal views of the individuals concerned. It should not be interpreted as the official stance unless officially communicated through official channels of the party,” the party said.

Also Read: Mamata Banerjee Finally Conceded Defeat? Check Updated X Bio As Suvendu Adhikari Takes Oath

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