Suvendu Adhikari is `hiring, harbouring criminals` in Nandigram, TMC tells Election Commission

TMC in its letter to EC alleged, `It has come to our knowledge that Suvendu Adhikari, the candidate fielded by BJP in Nandigram has been harbouring criminals.`

New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has alleged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari of "hiring and harbouring criminals" in Nandigram. Adhikari will contest against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Nandigram constituency. 

In a letter to the Election Commission (EC), the TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O' Brien has accused Adhikari of visiting one of the four locations where he is allegedly “harbouring criminals”. 

"It has come to our knowledge that Suvendu Adhikari, the candidate fielded by BJP in Nandigram has been harbouring criminals, who are non-residents of Nandigram," PTI quoted TMC’s letter. 

The letter also claimed that no action has been taken by the local police and sought direct intervention of the EC into the matter. 

“We request you to immediately intervene and direct necessary steps to be taken by police to forthwith apprehend all the outside anti-social elements hired and harboured by Suvendu Adhikari.”

Meanwhile, during her election rally on Sunday, West Bengal CM had said she has heard rumours the Adhikari family had built an empire worth Rs 5,000 crore. She declared that if her party comes back to power in the state, they will investigate the matter. 

West Bengal Assembly elections will take place in eight phases beginning from March 27. The high profile constituency of Nandigram will go to poll on April 1. The counting of votes will be done on May 2.