"I am constrained to seek your intervention as the constitutional head so that police and administration apparatus in the state is dissuaded from implicating me and my associate followers in criminal cases out of political motivation and vendetta," Adhikari stated in the letter which was shared by the governor on Twitter.
Suvendu Adhikari, a former minister in the Mamata Banerjee government, said his changed political stance is "spurring those in authority to be in political vendetta mode against me".
Responding to his plea, Governor Dhankar assured him that he will be "taking expected steps" to ensure the state administration and police are "dissuaded" from implicating him or his followers.
Suvendu Adhikari to join BJP?
Adhikari had tendered his resignation as minister from the Mamata Banerjee-led state cabinet last month, on November 27. He had also left the chairperson's post of the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioner's (HRBC) two days before that.
Speculations were also rife over whether Suvendu would join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the crucial state Assembly polls scheduled in 2021. The state BJP leaders had said that they would welcome Adhikari if he wants to join the saffron brigade in Bengal.
The former West Bengal Transport and Irrigation Minister and TMC heavyweight from East Midnapore district Adhikari is likely to join the saffron-clad during Union Home Minister Amit Shah's proposed visit to Bengal later this week.
Both Adhikari and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee were at loggerheads as reportedly the former was unhappy with organisational decisions taken by Abhishek Banerjee and political strategist Prashant Kishor. Adhikari and Banerjee were even seen taking potshots indirectly at each other without taking names at recent public meetings in the past.
Party insiders close to news agency IANS said that Adhikari may also travel to Delhi seeking a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi before Dec 19.