Kolkata: Claiming that 64 opposition MLAs were ready to back him, CM Suvendu Adhikari said on Wednesday that BJP, which currently has 209 MLAs, would secure the support of 275 legislators if a floor test were held in the assembly “tomorrow”.“The number of MLAs has now reached 209. Let there be a floor test in the assembly tomorrow. I will get the votes of 275 MLAs. As many as 64 MLAs sitting there (in the opposition benches) are waiting to raise their hands in my favour,” Adhikari said after meeting the families of those killed in a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal.Dismissing criticism on social media over the pandal tragedy, Adhikari cited BJP’s electoral performance to question the influence of television debates and online campaigns.“Social media can run propaganda. Did Sajal Ghosh win because of social media or television debates at 7pm? Did I defeat Mamata Banerjee because of television debates?” the CM asked.The opposition faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, which broke away from the TMC and claimed to represent the “real Trinamool” with 65 MLAs, however, rejected any suggestion of an understanding with BJP. “We have always opposed BJP and continue to do so. A floor test will make that clear. Only the CM can explain whom he was referring to,” Akhruzzaman of the Ritabrata faction said.The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC accused the breakaway legislators of aligning with BJP despite having won on the party’s symbol. “By making this statement, he (Suvendu) proved what we had been saying was correct. BJP is running the opposition camp by using that faction as a front, and all those MLAs in that particular camp are agents of BJP,” said TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh demanding a secret-ballot floor test.CPM veteran Sujan Chakraborty said, “Everyone understood this, and now he said it himself. This very statement of Suvendu Adhikari will serve as a reference before the court.”
