Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 21 (ANI): West Bengal Legislative Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Monday accepted the resignation as MLA of Suvendu Adhikari, who recently quit as the Trinamool Congress lawmaker and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Adhikari, who joined BJP on Saturday met the Speaker in his chambers. Speaker Biman Banerjee had asked Adhikari to appear before him today.

"Suvendu Adhikari appeared before me today and told me that he resigned without being under anyone else's influence. I am satisfied that his resignation is voluntary and genuine. I accept his resignation with immediate effect," Banerjee told ANI.

Adhikari said, "The Speaker asked me if I drafted and submitted the resignation letter on my own, exercising my free will, to which I said yes. He then conveyed to me that he is accepting my resignation."

Adhikari later met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata.

Days after the former TMC minister and MLA stepped down from all his posts, he joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Amit Shah at a rally in Midnapore in West Bengal on December 19.

After Adhikari's resignation from TMC, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) decided to provide 'Z' category security to him. (ANI)

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