Trinamool tells BJP ‘brace yourself’ after attack on Mamata

After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was attacked in Nandigram, where she filed her nomination for the assembly elections, her nephew and Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee sent out a warning to the Bharatiya Janata party to “brace yourself”.

Mamata was seen in hospital with her left leg in a cast in a photo tweeted by Abhishek in the wee hours of Thursday morning telling BJP to get ready to see the “power of people of Bengal”. The BJP are aggressively campaigning to oust the two-time chief minister in the assembly polls this time.

“BJP brace yourselves to see the power of people of BENGAL on Sunday, May 2nd. Get ready,” Abhishek’s tweet read.

The West Bengal CM was “attacked” by 4-5 men who pushed her against her car, shutting the door on her when police personnel were not present.

Mamata had alleged it was a planned attack on her after she was taken to the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, 130 kms from Nandigram.

Doctors at the SSKM Hospital said there were injuries to her foot, shoulder and neck.

“Initial examination suggests severe bony injuries in her left ankle, foot and bruises, injuries in right shoulder, forearm and neck. The chief minister complained of chest pain, breathlessness since the incident. She is kept under close watch for 48 hours,” Dr Manimoy Bandopadhya, the director of SSKM Hospital, was quoted as saying by ANI.

The BJP, meanwhile, called it “drama”, saying it was an attempt by the chief minister to gain sympathy from voters. Earlier, the saffron party had blamed TMC after BJP chief J.P. Nadda’s convoy came under attack in the state in December last year.

“Not one eye witness seems to corroborate Mamata Banerjee’s ‘attack’ version. People of Nandigram are upset and angry at her for blaming them and bringing disrepute,” tweeted Bengal BJP.

State BJP vice-president Arjun Singh called for suspension of the police officers who were with Mamata.

“Is it Taliban that her convoy was attacked? Huge police force accompanies her. Who can get near her? Four IPS officers are her security in-charge and must be suspended. Attackers don't appear out of nowhere, they have to be arrested... She did drama for sympathy,” he said.

The Election Commission has asked the Bengal administration for a report by Friday on the attack on the CM who has Z-Plus security.