Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, on Saturday in Japaiguri levelled a charge at Trinamul leaders and workers that left even a section of his party insiders wondering.

Adhikari, who attended a public meeting in Chalsa of Jalpaiguri district, accused Trinamul leaders and workers of being involved in smuggling animals and animal body parts.

“Trinamul leaders and workers are involved in smuggling animals and animal body parts. They have smuggled reptiles, rhino horns and tiger skins. These people have also indulged in timber smuggling and illegal extraction of minor minerals like stones and pebbles, from rivers,” he alleged.

The BJP Nadigram MLA also alleged that a section of foresters are sending crores to fill the coffers of the ruling party of the state.

“Some DFOs (divisional forest officers) and forest rangers are funding Trinamul by accumulating funds through illegal practices,” he added.

Over the past couple of years, Adhikari, along with other leaders of the saffron camp have been vocal against Trinamul’s “corruption”. “However, what Suvendu Adhikari said today is completely different. It is hard to believe that Trinamul leaders and workers are into smuggling of animals, animal body parts and timber. Now that he has said it, we will have to check out the veracity of the allegation. It is a serious charge and a crime,” said a senior BJP functionary of the district.

Adhikari also accused the Mamata Banerjee government of depriving north Bengal.

“The chief minister has failed to implement the ‘Cha Sundari’ (free housing for tea workers) scheme and is now providing land rights to workers in tea gardens and not on government vested land. This is yet another eyewash to draw votes. People here are with us and will never stand in Trinamul’s support that has deprived the region,” Adhikari said.

Adhikari’s visit and his scathing attack at Trinamul while referring to issues pertaining to north Bengal, hints at the pressure on the saffron camp before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, opined political observers. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP had won seven of eight Lok Sabha seats in the region. In the 2021 Bengal Assembly polls, too, the party had done comparatively better in the region, bagging 30 of 54 Assembly seats.

However, at the civic polls held last year, the BJP couldn’t win a single municipality. Also, this year, the party failed to draw votes in the rural polls and lost the Dhupguri Assembly bypoll.

“As the Lok Sabha elections are drawing near, Suvendu Adhikari is trying to undermine the development carried out by the state. He is well aware that any advocacy of the demand for a new state that has been time and again raised in this part of Bengal by different political parties and organisations can jeopardise the BJP’s prospects in the rest of the state, considering the strong sentiment that pervades against any further division of Bengal. That is why he is trying to underscore lack of development and deprivation, while levelling fresh charges at Trinamul,” said an observer.

As Adhikari’s convoy was heading towards Chalsa, he faced protests near Malbazar. A group of around 50 beneficiaries of the MGNREGS who did not receive their wages, stood by the side of the road and demonstrated. Policemen present at the spot controlled the situation.

Later, Adhikari said that the protest was orchestrated by Trinamul.

The Trinamul leadership reacted sharply.

“We will hold a public meeting in Chalsa tomorrow (Sunday) in protest. Our leaders are also exploring options as to whether any legal step can be taken against him. He has named some of our leaders and tried to tarnish the party. This indicates the political bankruptcy of BJP,” said Mahua Gope, the Jalpaiguri district Trinamul president.