After Trinamool Defeat, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari's "Akhilesh Next" Warning

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, bouyant from historic victories in West Bengal's Bhabanipur and Nandigram on Monday, said the party's next focus is on the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. "Mamata (Banerjee), Tejashwi (Yadav), Rahul (Gandhi) finished, Akhilesh (Yadav) is next," he said, in a reference to the Samajwadi Party chief, who will be the main challenger to the BJP when Uttar Pradesh goes to polls next year. While paying tributes to BJP workers who were killed in several incidents of violence in West Bengal, Adhikari said outgoing Chief Minister Banerjee was necessary. "Her political exile has started. She lost Nandigram in 2021 and has lost Bhabanipur this time by over 15,000 votes," he said.