Trinamool Congress, BJP move EC over Nandigram 'attack' on Mamata Banerjee

Banerjee, who is presently admitted to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, has alleged she was the victim of an attack by four-five men, who have been linked to the BJP by the Trinamool.

A Trinamool delegation comprising Partha Chatterjee, Derek O'Brien, Chandrima Bhattacharya said there was a connection between some tweets of BJP lawmakers and the incident.

"There was a forecast of such an attack. There is a connection between some tweets by BJP parliamentarians and the attack," said Chatterjee, blaming the poll body.

Rejecting the claims, BJP leader Sabyasachi Dutta, who was accompanied by his colleague Sisir Bajoria to the EC, has said, "The poll body has been made a soft target. There should be an investigation into the incident and we should get to know what really happened."

"The Chief Minister is free to take security from the Union Home Ministry,"

Earlier, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh had said, "She is doing a drama. She has done a PhD. in drama. But it will not work."

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury too termed the incident as a "drama".

CPI-M MLA Sujan Chakraborty said, "We want a speedy recovery of Mamata Banerjee and want her to return to the political field soon. Also we think there should be an investigation into the incident to find out whether it was an accident or a conspiracy."

Banerjee's injury has sparked widespread protests by Trinamool workers cutting across all districts in the state.

Urging workers to maintain peace, the Trinamool has put up a tweet, "We appeal to all our workers to not let their emotions overflow. We understand your concerns & we’ll keep updating about Hon’ble @MamataOfficial's health. We request to maintain peace & not resort to means which Didi would not approve of. Let us all pray for her speedy recovery."

Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee, who happens to be the Chief Minister's nephew, took a direct attack on the BJP saying the saffron party will be replied strongly by the people of the state through the votes.

".@BJP4Bengal. Brace yourselves to see the power of people of BENGAL on Sunday, May 2nd. Get READY!!!" he tweeted.

Fourteen hours after the incident occurred, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed in Nandigram Police Station against unknown people by Banerjee's election agent Sheikh Sufiyan at 8 am Thursday. 

Contradicting the claims made by Banerjee and her party, several eye-witnesses said the door of the Chief Minister's car, while she was standing and greeting common people, hit a pole and smashed back her leg.

"No one had attacked her," one eye-witness told news agency ANI.

Banerjee, who enjoys a Z-plus category security, was in Nandigram to file her nomination from the epicentre of the West Bengal elections.

The state's ruling party chief was brought to Kolkata on Wednesday night from Nandigram and admitted to the SSKM Hospital. Her left ankle has been plastered.

In a medical bulletin Thursday afternoon, the hospital said, "Her left ankle has been plastered due to bony injury. There is a pain in her left leg along with frontal headache."

Banerjee's political programmes have been cancelled till Sunday as the party's election committee will sit down Thursday to plan the next course of political action.

Meanwhile, BJP chief spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya and senior leader Tathagata Roy Thursday visited SSKM Hospital but they could not meet the Chief Minister.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar Wednesday night visited the hospital amid "Go Back" slogans by the Trinamool supporters.