Kolkata: In his first speech to the voters of the Nandigram Assembly in the East Midnapore district of West Bengal, following his election for a third consecutive term, Suvendu Adhikari urged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers to refrain from emulating the Trinamool Congress’ culture of engaging in post-election violence and acts of aggression against members of opposition parties after securing electoral success.
“I understand the kind of atrocities you all have faced during the last 15 years. But I am asking all of you not to take the law into your own hands. Do not adopt their culture. Do not replicate what they did. Maintaining peace is your first responsibility. The elections are over. Now everyone should live peacefully together,” Adhikari said.
He also asked the party leadership in East Midnapore district to refrain from conducting victory processions in the district till the new cabinet takes oath. “The oath ceremony will probably be on May 9. Arrange the victory processions only after that. But do that peacefully and only after taking prior permission of the district administration,” Adhikari said.
This time, BJP candidates have won from all 16 Assembly constituencies in East Midnapore district, once a fortress of Trinamool Congress. Besides winning from Nandigram, Adhikari this time also has been elected from Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in South Kolkata, defeating the outgoing Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, by over 15,000 votes.
Addressing voters in Nandigram, he said that two reasons for the BJP’s victory in West Bengal and his personal victory from Nandigram and Bhabanipur simultaneously were “patience” and “tolerance”.
“Those who were responsible for the atrocities against the BJP workers and the common people will be dealt with legally. The new state government will reopen every such case. The guilty will be punished as per the law. But you please do not take the law into your own hands,” Adhikari said.
Speaking on the occasion, he promised a new English-medium school and a new Industrial Training Institute (ITI) college in Nandigram. “You have kept faith in me for so long. Now it is my turn to serve you,” Adhikari said.
He said that the new BJP government is committed to giving such service to the people of the state that voters will spontaneously get the party re-elected again and again. “We believe in getting re-elected because of our work and not by force,” Adhikari said.
(IANS)
