Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday alleged that the State government and Adani Group played along knowing well that a deep sea port at Tajpur was not feasible.
“Adanis were never interested in building the Tajpur Port. Mamata Banerjee knew it very well. But both played along ! Why?,” the BJP leader said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
The remarks by the BJP leader came a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called industrialists to bid for tender for the deep sea port raising questions on Adani Group’s involvement in the project. A letter of intent for the project was issued to Adani Group in October 2022.
Mr. Adhikari said that Adani Power Ltd, entered into an agreement with the Bangladesh govt. to supply electricity generated at Godda in Jharkhand to the Bangladesh electricity grid.
“However, the problem with the plan was that the supply lines and Transmission Towers had to pass through West Bengal, specifically through Murshidabad. The mango and lychee orchards were in the way. The farmers, mostly belonging to the minority community, objected to this plan,” the BJP Nandigam MLA said.
Mr. Adhikari alleged that the State govt. would facilitate the passing of Electricity-bearing cables through several areas of WB and a deal was struck “between Adani & Mamata Banerjee. Adani had to show up at the BGBS event, sing praises of the State govt. and the CM’s visionary leadership”.
“The declaration of the Tajpur Port Project was also an integral part of the plan. But in reality it was an illusion created to divert attention from what was about to happen,” the Leader of Opposition said on social media.
The State BJP leadership also held a press conference where BJP leader Jaganath Chattopadhyay said that by February 2023 Adani Group had lost interest in Tajpur Deep Sea port and the West Bengal government is acquiring land in Mandarmoni for land based port. The BJP leader said that the West Bengal government is trying to shift the project of the port without following procedures.
While there was no word from the West Bengal government or Adani Group on the allegations Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosdh said that there was no veracity in the allegations made by the BJP leadership. He said that Tajpur and Mandarmoni are two separate places and separate projects can come up there.
