Rakesh Tikait has been leading a protest against the Center’s agricultural laws (Archive)
Calcutta:
Amid an intense Trinamool vs BJP fight over Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s injury last week, Farmers Leader Rakesh Tikait is visiting Nandigram from Bengal today, where he will hold a Mahapanchayat (public meeting). Banerjee submitted his nomination to the vote from the assembly seat and will face BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, whose departure from Trinamool last year caused an exodus of party leaders.
Mr. Tikait, who has been leading a massive farmer protest against the three central agricultural laws on the Delhi-UP border, was received in Kolkata by Trinamool MP Dola Sen today.
Before leaving for Nandigram, Tikait, a critic of the BJP-led central government on agricultural issues, met with party leaders on Kolkata’s Mayo Road.
He called the alleged attack on Ms Banerjee unfortunate and said he will travel through Bengal to campaign against the BJP if necessary.
When asked what message he will give to the people of the state, Tikait said: “I will appeal to the people not to vote for the BJP. This party has looted the nation. It is the party of businessmen.”
Ms. Banerjee sustained injuries to her foot, head and chest last week while campaigning in Nandigram after submitting her nomination papers. She told reporters that four or five strangers pushed her and closed the car door on her.
While the Trinamool Congress accused the BJP and the Election Commission of having a role in the matter, the opposition said it was an accident and Ms. Banerjee was making a “drama” for the sympathy votes.
The Election Commission earlier this week reacted strongly to Trinamool’s accusation that the “attack” took place a day after the removal of the Bengal police chief.
“It seems unworthy to even respond to allegations that this was all done at the behest of one particular political party,” the polling panel said in its response.
The accusations virtually amounted to undermining the very foundation and structure of India’s Constitution, the powerful electoral body said, stating that the Commission “does not appropriate or take over the day-to-day governance of any state, including West Bengal.”
Ms. Banerjee was released from the hospital on Friday.
The Election Commission declared on Friday that a report by Bengal’s chief secretary on the Nandigram episode was “incomplete”.
The report did not mention the “four or five people” who allegedly attacked her, an official from the state election office told the PTI news agency. However, he referred to the presence of a large crowd at the scene, he added.
The Bengal assembly election in eight phases will begin on March 27. The count will take place on May 2.
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