Kolkata, August 16: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated on Sunday that the suicide of former state minister and ex-assembly deputy speaker Ashish Banerjee may have been influenced by some form of blackmail pressure.
CM Adhikari emphasized this angle, indirectly hinting that the late leader had decided to support a rebel faction led by expelled Trinamool Congress MLA Ritabrata Banerjee.
He remarked, “After this year’s assembly elections, Ashish Banerjee raised his voice against injustice and corruption within his own party. He distanced himself from former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and resigned from the committee formed by her.”
“It is possible that some corrupt individuals within the Trinamool Congress intimidated him. He may have also been blackmailed. Despite our political differences, I had a very cordial relationship with him. A thorough investigation will be conducted, including an examination of his suicide note and mobile phone,” the Chief Minister added.
He also stressed the need to investigate whether anyone had threatened the late leader.
“I am shocked. I have instructed the police and district magistrate to ensure the post-mortem is conducted properly,” he stated.
CM Adhikari noted that Ashish Banerjee, a former teacher, was personally honest, though he could not say the same about all his political associates.
He dismissed allegations made by a faction of the Trinamool Congress, which claimed that administrative pressure from the state government and a purported smear campaign by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led to Ashish Banerjee’s drastic decision.
“The police or administration did not issue any notice to him. No one from within the BJP ever threatened him by name, so it is essential to investigate whether someone connected to the Trinamool Congress and involved in corruption threatened him,” Adhikari concluded.
As of late Sunday afternoon, there had been no response from Mamata Banerjee regarding this incident. However, Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata’s nephew and the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, issued a statement on social media blaming the BJP and the media for Ashish Banerjee’s suicide.
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