Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari served a legal notice to ruling Trinamool’s latest recruit John Barla, a former BJP MP and junior minister in Delhi.

During his formal induction into the Trinamool on Thursday, Barla had alleged that Adhikari had blocked a proposal to set up a hospital in his constituency.

“My client categorically denies your allegations. At no point has he interfered with your legislative, developmental or public welfare initiatives. Your attempt to falsely implicate him in administrative obstruction is not only devoid of any factual basis, but also deliberately designed to damage his standing and mislead the public for political gain,” reads the notice sent to Barla by Adhikari’s counsel Suryaneel Das. “Your statement that “Suvendu Adhikari stopped me from building a hospital” is a blatant lie, and has been perceived as a personal attack made under political pressure or expediency.”

The notice reads: “The timing and setting of your statement clearly indicate an intention to curry favour with your new political affiliation by discrediting a prominent opposition leader.”

Barla has been asked to issue a public apology within seven days.

At the Trinamool Bhawan on Thursday afternoon, Barla, a former MP from Alipurduar Lok Sabha seat, had said, “The leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari blocked it. All work was done and land was identified. We just had to sign the MoU. But a call went from here to the union ministry and work was stopped.”

He claimed to have started the process for building a railway hospital at a cost of Rs. 160crore in his constituency which Adhikari allegedly opposed and made certain it never saw the light of the day.

Barla had been sulking since he was denied a ticket by the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“He read out from the script that was handed to him by IPAC without any basis,” said Adhikari.

Speaking to The Telegraph Online, Barla said, "I have not seen the notice yet. If he has taken legal action, I will also proceed accordingly."