Trinamul MP Abhishek Banerjee levelled a volley of charges against party turncoat-turned BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari at a well-attended rally in East Midnapore’s Contai on Saturday.

In a scathing attack, Abhishek suggested that the “answers to the Saradha and Rose Valley” deposit collection scams lay at Shanti Kunj, which is the family residence of the Adhikaris.

Abhishek’s 29-minute tirade was aimed almost solely at Suvendu, reviving the sensitive deposit-collection discourse at a time the district is set to witness a keen contest between Trinamul and the BJP with chief minister Mamata Banerjee deciding to contest from Nandigram.

Suvendu, before his resignation, had been the Nandigram MLA.

“The Enforcement Directorate cannot be relied upon. The court cases (in deposit collection cases) are still ongoing, and they will continue for a long time,” said Abhishek, rallying the crowd at Doisai village near Contai.

“If those of you who were wronged ever want to see your money again, you must surround that traitor’s home so that he cannot leave,” the Diamond Harbour MP added.

Crowd attend the rally in Contai. Anshuman Phadikar

Abhishek held the rally in Contai more than six years since his last meeting in the district when on January 4, 2015, he was slapped in the face by a purported supporter of the Adhikari clan. Starting mid-December, Suvendu’s rallies have also been rife with monikers of “extortionist nephew”.

“I reiterate that Sudipta Sen (chief of the Saradha group of companies) testified in a letter from prison that he had given Suvendu Rs 6 crore... The day Sen absconded to Kashmir, Suvendu had gone to his office the previous night... Now he wants to be with the central powers so he can steal more easily,” Abhishek said.

Towards the end of his speech, Abhishek exhorted the 25,000-strong crowd with rhetoric aimed against Suvendu. “Just like we gave birth to the land agitations in 2007, so we must evict the traitor from the same land. Will or will you not beat him out with a broom,” he urged the crowd to reply, adding “louder, so that Shanti Kunj trembles”.

As an aside, he said Trinamul would win by “over 150 seats” and “Mamata Banerjee will be chief minister again”.

BJP district president Anup Chakraborty said “people would respond” to “Abhishek’s insults aimed at their leader”. “Trinamul’s downfall is imminent,” he added.