Kolkata, Ranaghat, March 7, 2024: BJP MLA from Ranaghat South Mukut Mani Adhikari joined Trinamul Congress on Thursday afternoon. A doctor by profession and Matua community leader from Nadia’s Krishnaganj, Mukut Mani was seen walking with Trinamul’s all-India general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and party supremo Mamata Banerjee at a rally organized by the ruling party in Kolkata to mark the International Women’s day.
He was later handed over the Trinamul Congress flag by Abhishek Banerjee. Trinamul insiders claimed that Adhikari is likely to be nominated as the party candidate from Ranaghat (SC) parliamentary constituency, being a well-known Matua community face.
Sources said that Adhikari had expected to be nominated as the BJP candidate from the Ranaghat (SC) seat replacing the sitting MP Jagannath Sarkar being a prominent matua face, particularly being recommended by Matua leader Shantanu Thakur. The young doctor was nominated as the party candidate in 2019 but failed to fight since his resignation as a government doctor was not granted by the state government. Later in 2021, he was nominated as BJP candidate to fight the assembly poll from the Ranaghat South segment. He won the poll defeating Trinamul Congress candidate Barnali De Roy.