TMC, BJP to knock EC’s door over ‘attack’ on Mamata

Kolkata: Representatives of the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP in West Bengal will be meeting Election Commission officials on Thursday over the alleged attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her poll campaign, leaders of the two parties said.

The three-member TMC delegation, led by state minister Partha Chatterjee, would register a complaint about the incident and demand a thorough probe.

”We would seek a reply from the EC, how come the security was not in place despite Mamata Banerjee still being the chief minister of the state. It is the duty of the EC to ensure the safety of the candidates,” a senior TMC leader said.

Chatterjee would be accompanied by TMC’s leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya.

A delegation of the opposition BJP is also scheduled to meet the EC officials to demand a proper investigation into the incident.

”We want the video footage of the incident to be made public so that the people get to know what actually happened,” a state BJP leader said.

The chief minister is at present undergoing treatment at the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata with injury to her left leg, waist, shoulder, and neck, according to doctors.

Banerjee alleged on Wednesday evening that during her campaign in Nandigram, she was attacked by four-five men who pushed her, besides banging on her the door of her car, leading to the injuries.