West Bengal Election: Will Mamta's injury prove to be the turning point?

Posted on 12th Mar 2021 by rohit kumar

"Didi has always been a fighter. She is not attacked for the first time. But I am sure she will come out of it with more vigor." --- Chief Minister Admitted in Woodburn Ward, Kolkata's Largest Government Hospital When the Bapan characters who reached Mamta Banerjee's Diamond Harbor in South 24-Parganas say this, many more voices arise in their support.

 

Abdul Sheikh, who hails from Namkhana of the same district, says, "Didi has been attacked or it is an accident, it will be known through investigation. But she has indeed suffered serious injuries. This is not the case with a leader like Didi." Was Needed." But on the other hand, some people in the Birulia area of ​​Nandigram who were hurt by Mamta Banerjee on Wednesday evening are angry because of slander and accusations. A local shopkeeper, Topendu Kumar (name changed), says, "It is correct to accuse us of conspiracy and assault without any concrete evidence. Why should we plot against our beloved leader? It was just an accident."

 

But can this incident prove to be the turning point of the current assembly elections? Most people have a yes opinion on this question. But who will be benefited and who will be damaged, it cannot be assessed immediately. Right now the sympathy of the people is with Mamata Banerjee. This has further strengthened his image as a militant leader and street fighter.

 

Effect on Nandigram

 

But if, as people believe, this incident leads to sympathy for Mamta, then it can be analyzed on two scales.

 

The first is those seats in and around Nandigram, which are to be voted on in the first and second phases. These include seats in East Medinipur, West Medinipur, Bankura, and Purulia. The Nandigram from which Mamta herself is in the field is to be voted in the second phase on the first of April. In such a situation, it is a compulsion for Mamta and her husband to come down to the ground with plaster and a wheelchair. The reason for this is that he is the only star campaigner of the party in all the seats of the state.

 

On the other hand, the BJP has a long list of leaders from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and BJP President JP Nadda to Dilip Ghosh, Shubhendu Adhikari, and Mithun Chakraborty. Mamta held a rally in Nandigram on Tuesday. But after that Shubhendu along with three Union Ministers are in the area since yesterday. He has also filed nomination papers on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah also have rallies in East Medinipur. Modi will visit Bengal on March 18 and 20.

 

As far as the voters of Nandigram are concerned, no one has opened his fist till now. Perhaps to avoid a possible post-election situation, someone is openly refraining from discussing anyone. There is an atmosphere of fear among the two veterans as they enter the ground. About 30 percent of the minority voters in the area are Hindus and 70 percent are Hindus. Among them, there is also a considerable population of Dalits. There both parties are paying more attention to religious programs and worship in temples. Mamta herself had also described herself as the daughter of a Brahmin for the Hindu card of the BJP and had done a Chandipath from the stage. The Left-Congress alliance had earlier decided to give this seat to the Indian Secular Front (ISF). But now the CPM will contest elections here itself. This has raised some concerns in the BJP camp. But Shubhendu Adhikari claims that his victory is certain here.

 

In the opinion of doctors, Mamta will have to stay in a wheelchair for at least two weeks. This will affect their activities. But despite this, he has said that he will go on an election campaign in the same condition. The TMC chief has expressed hope that she will be able to land in the field within two-three days. In a video message released on Thursday, he said, "There will probably be plaster in the foot. But I will manage. I will not cancel a single meeting. But maybe I have to walk in a wheelchair for a few days."

 

Mamta, however, had said that from 13 March, she would go on an election campaign with a plaster in wheelchair and foot. But TMC General Secretary Partha Chatterjee says, "The date can be extended by a few days on the advice of the doctors. It will be decided on the instructions of the doctors at the time of their release from the hospital. In the next five days, Mamta will get a dozen in Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia districts." Have to address election rallies. "

 

Banerjee's left leg, shoulder, and throat were suddenly blocked as the car door closed between both the road and a large crowd while returning from a temple in the evening on Wednesday evening at Nandigram seat in East Medinipur district. I was hurt a lot. He was immediately brought to Kolkata via Green Corridor and admitted to SSKM Hospital. At that time, Mamta herself had alleged that under a conspiracy four-five outsiders had forcibly closed the doors of her car, leaving her injured.

 

What will be the impact of this case on the current elections in West Bengal? Algae Kar of the Center for Studies in Social Sciences in Kolkata says, "It is too early to comment now on how much impact the election results will have. But this incident has changed the stance of the election picture in the state. The same matter is discussed everywhere since the evening. Not only in Bengal, but in the whole country. Mamta can benefit from it. " But political analyst Professor Sameer Kumar Pal says, "This case can become a double-edged sword. If the investigation revealed that it was just an accident, it could have the opposite effect. It is clear from the attitude of the Election Commission that The matter will be revealed soon. "

 

Image of combative leader

 

Whether it is an attack or an accident, anything can be said on this only after the investigation report is confirmed.

 

But the strong image of his militant leader that he faced while fighting the attacks, made him break away from the Congress to form a new party and establish the TMC as the main opposition party, to overthrow the government of the frozen left for 34 years and reach power. . On August 16, 1990, Lalu Alam, the leader of the CPM youth organization DYFA, at Hajra Mor near Kolkata, had his head cracked with sticks. That image of Banerjee, who was tied up on the head, made her popular from house to house.

 

Three years after that, in 1993, to bring justice to a deaf and mute rape victim, he had lodged at the Writers' Building at the residence of Chief Minister Jyoti Basu. At that time, the policemen dragged them by holding their hair and arrested them, and took them to Lalbazar. Even after the formation of TMC, they have been particularly strong in the Left strongholds Chamkayatla and Keshpur in West Medinipur district. Mamta's car was thrown at Mamta's car when she went to Chhoti Angadia after 11 party members were killed in political violence in the same district. But she narrowly survived.

 

In the years 2006 and 2007 too, he was attacked many times. During the anti-takeover movement in Singur, the policemen dragged them from the front of BDO's office.

 

All these events established him as a leader.

 

BJP in dilemma

 

By the way, what exactly happened with Mamta, it was only after a detailed investigation that it came out. But his injuries have indeed changed the picture of the election campaign in West Bengal since Wednesday evening.

 

Before that, the BJP, which has been looking aggressive against Mamata and her party Trinamool Congress, is now considering a change in its strategy after this incident. That is why from Thursday till now, any leader during his campaigning, Mamata, His party, and nephew Abhishek Banerjee have not said a word on issues like tolabaji, corruption. Subhendu Adhikari, who took the field against Mamta, has been in the Nandigram area since yesterday. But he has neither mentioned this incident nor TMC.

 

After the injury to Mamta, the state leaders of BJP called it a gimmick. However, the dilemma in BJP is visible in the incident with Mamta.

 

The next day of the incident, several leaders including Shamik Bhattacharya, Tathagata Roy, and Lockett Chatterjee had reached the hospital to meet Mamta. But the doctors refused to meet, citing Mamta's health. While all the BJP leaders who reached the hospital wished Mamata to get well soon, State President Dilip Ghosh reiterated, "Mamata has done this drama by not seeing any way to escape from Nandigram. She will also lose in Nandigram and Bengal. Me too. By hitting the pillar, the Chief Minister is blaming it on the BJP's forehead. "

 

On the other hand, State Congress President Adhir Chaudhary, who is considered to be a fierce opponent of Mamata, also described the incident with Mamata as hypocrisy. After that, the news came that Adhir has also been freed from the responsibility of the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha. However, the Congress and the impatient themselves have attributed the electoral busyness to this. But in the political circles of West Bengal, this decision is being linked to his remarks against Mamta.

 

TMC supporters from the metropolis and surrounding areas have gathered outside the SSKM hospital after hearing the news of Mamta's injuries. TMC activists on Thursday protested in various parts of the state to protest against the alleged attack on them, staging the movement of vehicles and trains on the highway and rail tracks. For this reason, Mamata had to appeal to TMC workers and supporters in a video message issued from the hospital.

 

Mamta has said that she will get into the field soon. After this incident, the growing conflict with BJP and Election Commission has now come to the center of discussion of Bengal politics. Delegations of both political parties have demanded an inquiry into the incident from the Election Commission so that the reality can be revealed.

 

The investigation of the entire case is going on

Former Medinipur district Superintendent of Police Pravin Prakash, who arrived at the scene the next day, told reporters, "There was a huge crowd on the spot and no clear footage is available. So it is difficult to say at the moment what was causing the incident." Meanwhile, a senior official of the state home ministry, on the condition of anonymity, has told that the primary report sent by the SP to the Director-General of Police indicated that it was an accident. But the detailed report has not been received at the moment.