The Saffron Chameleon
In most functional democracies, if you are caught on camera accepting a bribe while holding public office, your career is over. You would likely face years behind bars. However, in the complex and often forgiving world of Indian politics, being caught on tape might just be the catalyst for a massive career progression—provided you are willing to switch your ideological allegiance.
Few politicians embody this reality better than Suvendu Adhikari. His journey from a Congress youth leader, to Mamata Banerjee’s most trusted lieutenant, and finally to the hardline Hindutva face of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, is a masterclass in political survival.
To understand the current state of Bengal's politics, one must look at the track record, the controversies, and the shifting rhetoric of the man who seeks to lead it.
From the Left's Nemesis to Mamata’s Rival
Suvendu Adhikari was born into one of Bengal’s most influential political families in Purba Medinipur in 1970, as noted by the BBC. His father, Sisir Adhikari, was a political heavyweight and a former Union Minister of State for Rural Development in the Manmohan Singh government, according to Oneindia.
Adhikari’s political journey began with the Congress, serving as a councillor in the Kanthi municipality in 1995. However, as NDTV and The Times of India have chronicled, he truly found his footing when he joined the newly formed Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 1998. He rose to national prominence during the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement. While Mamata Banerjee was the face of the movement, Suvendu was her field commander, effectively breaking the back of the Left Front government.
But his methods during this time were highly controversial. A report by India Today revealed explosive claims by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), alleging that during the Nandigram agitation, Adhikari—then a TMC MP—supplied over 1,000 rounds of ammunition to Maoist cadres to fight the CPI(M) and the police.
Despite these shadows, he became indispensable to the TMC, eventually becoming a cabinet minister. But as the influence of Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, grew within the party, Adhikari's ambitions felt stifled. In a calculated move, The Hindu reported in November 2020 that he quit the state cabinet, and shortly after, joined the BJP in the presence of Amit Shah.
The Great Washing Machine: Narada, Saradha, and the BJP
The irony of Suvendu Adhikari joining the BJP is impossible to ignore. For years, the BJP’s primary weapon against the TMC was the issue of corruption, with Adhikari positioned squarely in the crosshairs.
In 2014, a sting operation rocked Bengal. As detailed by NewsClick, 12 Trinamool leaders and henchmen were caught in the Narada sting taking cash in exchange for favors. The Times of India noted that the tapes, published by Tehelka ahead of the 2016 elections, featured Suvendu Adhikari prominently.
The BJP aggressively used these tapes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during election rallies, openly mocked TMC leaders for taking cash wrapped in newspapers "right in front of the camera." The Bharatiya Janata Party even uploaded the sting operation video titled "Mamata Banerjee's TMC leaders caught taking bribes in a sting operation" to their official YouTube channel. Furthermore, the BJP Bengal unit’s official X (formerly Twitter) account actively targeted him in the Rose Valley scam, using the hashtag #RosePricksMamata alongside his photo.
Yet, the moment Adhikari donned a saffron scarf, his past was seemingly absolved. In a striking move reported by The Wire, the BJP quietly removed the Narada sting video featuring Adhikari from its YouTube channel once he joined their camp.
The controversies didn't end with Narada. He was also heavily implicated in the Saradha chit-fund scam. The Hindu reported that the CBI had interrogated him regarding the scam. In a dramatic twist, The Hindu also covered a letter written by the arrested Saradha Group Chairman, Sudipta Sen, to the Prime Minister. Sen alleged that it was "painful" to see leaders who took crores of rupees from him now joining the BJP, specifically naming Suvendu Adhikari and Mukul Roy (who had also quit the TMC, as reported by The Hindu).
The Pivot to Hardline Hindutva
To solidify his place in the BJP and move past the corruption allegations, Adhikari underwent a radical ideological transformation. The man who once organized rallies for the TMC alongside Muslims became the most vocal anti-Muslim voice in the state.
His speeches took on a fiercely communal tone. NDTV quoted him declaring: "Entire Muslim vote went to TMC; I will work for Hindus." He actively began pushing cultural wedge issues, with The Week reporting his vow to "remove Babar's name" amidst a raging mosque controversy in West Bengal.
He even contradicted Prime Minister Modi's inclusive slogan. In a widely circulated speech, Adhikari rejected "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas," stating: "I would say 'jo hamare saath, hum unke saath... I used to speak about nationalist Muslims earlier, but I won't anymore." He later took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify his statement, claiming it was taken out of context, but the message to his new base was clear.
His rhetoric reached a boiling point during the assembly elections. According to The Times of India, Adhikari openly threatened minority representation, stating he would "throw Muslim MLAs out of the assembly after BJP wins Bengal."
This trajectory closely mirrors that of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, another former Congress leader who faced corruption allegations before joining the BJP and adopting hardline rhetoric. Sarma is frequently in the news for similar statements, such as warning that "Miyas will face trouble as long as I am CM," as reported by The Times of India.
A Shield of Immunity and a Trail of Mysterious Deaths
Beyond the political rhetoric and corruption stings, a much darker narrative surrounds Adhikari’s inner circle. Over the years, multiple people closely associated with him have died under mysterious circumstances.
As highlighted in a chilling report by The Economic Times, four of Adhikari's close aides were found dead in a span of 13 years:
- In 2013, his former personal assistant, Pradip Jha, was found dead on a pavement on Kolkata's Strand Road (Hindustan Times).
- In 2018, Subhabrata Chakraborty, a state armed police constable posted as his personal security officer, was found dead in a police barrack (The Economic Times).
- In 2021, Pulak Lahiri, his driver and counting agent, was found dead under unusual circumstances, prompting Adhikari to allege a political vendetta (Deccan Herald).
- Most violently, in May 2021, his close aide Chandranath Rath was shot dead by an eight-man hit squad riding four motorcycles who blocked his SUV, in what appeared to be a professional assassination (The Times of India).
Despite these dark clouds and an astonishing legal record—an affidavit revealed by The Week showed he had 25 criminal cases against him, including charges of attempt to murder, money laundering, criminal intimidation, and promoting enmity between groups—Adhikari has managed to evade legal consequences.
He has consistently maintained that the cases are vindictive. "All FIRs against me are false, politically motivated," he stated, as reported by The Print. For a significant period, the judiciary provided him with a shield. Scroll.in reported that in December 2022, the Calcutta High Court granted him "blanket protection," ruling that no new police action or FIRs could be filed against him without prior court approval. The Times of India also noted that the High Court ordered a stay on all 26 FIRs against him. However, this absolute immunity was eventually revoked, marking a "big setback" for him, as reported by The Week.
The Ultimate Ambition
Suvendu Adhikari's utility to the BJP was proven when he delivered a massive symbolic victory in the 2021 elections. While the TMC swept the state with 213 seats to the BJP's 77 (The Hindu), Adhikari achieved the unthinkable: he defeated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on his home turf of Nandigram by a margin of over 15,000 votes (NDTV). Though Mamata alleged the BJP "looted" the election and vowed to fight it in court (The Times of India), Adhikari secured his position as the undisputed Leader of the Opposition.
Business publications like The Economic Times have already begun analyzing his trajectory as the man who helped topple the Left and is now positioning himself to be the BJP's first Chief Minister of Bengal.
Adhikari’s story is a testament to the fact that in modern Indian politics, ideological purity is optional, past transgressions are negotiable, and power is the only permanent truth. Whether his shifting loyalties and polarizing rhetoric will ultimately hand him the keys to the state, or whether the weight of his past scandals will eventually catch up with him, remains the defining question of West Bengal's political future.