A quote from Swami Vivekananda by senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Suvendu Adhikari, who has been in the thick of speculations about his departure from the ruling party, has reportedly sparked a fresh round of rumour-mongering in West Bengal’s politics.

At a women’s welfare event in East Midnapore’s New Digha, the Minister in Charge of Transport, Irrigation and Water resource in Govt. of West Bengal said, “Why am I praising all of you today? Because nothing is achieved on a solo effort. Swami Vivekananda has said: ‘This “me and mine” is the very root of all the evil in the world’. Only those who practice we and us, can survive.”

As per a report carried by Bengali portal The Wall, Adhikari’s statement carried a message to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee – the TMC supremo and who is still considered the biggest icon of the ruling party.

That Adhikari had been expressing his disappointment for not being given position as other senior members in the party was well reported. One of the architects of TMC’s Nandigram revolution, the 49-year-old MLA is still a major force of the party’s ground-level organisation in the state.

Many Consider the Nandigram representative as second biggest crowd puller of TMC after Banerjee herself. Apart from his strong zones in Jangalmahal and the two Midnapore districts, Adhikari has a strong following in almost every district of West Bengal.

However, as has been the norm with TMC, Banerjee has never allowed anyone to come near her in terms of matching the political aura. Adhikari, though, is not considered among the senior leadership as well and his hardly seen by the media like several others. Instead he has been kept in check ever since the reports of his despondency started to emerge.

Bengali media is filled reports of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trying to poach him. Even though Adhikari has never hinted about switching to the saffron camp, his strife with Abhishek Banerjee is an open secret.

Abhishek is often accused of enjoying special favours from the TMC chief due to their personal relationship, angering many in the party. TMC-turned-BJP leader Mukul Roy had echoed the same after changing colours.

Abhishek’s special position in the party is also believed to be one of the reasons for Adhikari’s rebellion.