Ahead of the phase 2 polling inWest Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee'sTrinamool Congress(TMC) accused theBharatiya Janata Party(BJP) of attacking the convoy of its MP Mitali Bag when she was on way to meet party's general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's rally in Arambagh. As the situation was unfolding, the TMC MP in a Facebook LIVE alleged that some miscreants backed by the BJP hurled stones at her convoy when it was passing near a BJP candidate’s election office.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, TMC informed that its party leader's car was vandalised and accused the BJP of "an attempt on her life."
TMC also posted a video of Mitali Bag, saying, "Amit Shah threatened our leaders and party workers that anyone who steps out of their house would be hanged upside down. Today, that threat was acted upon. Our MP, Mitali Bag, an elected female representative from the Scheduled Caste community, was brutally and dastardly attacked by BJP lumpens and thugs. Her car was vandalised. Her windshield was smashed. Shards of glass pierced her body. Hear her writhe in agony."
Taking an aim at Home Minister Amit Shah, who has been campaigning in the state for several days, TMC said, "This is an attempt on the life of an elected Member of Parliament. Amit Shah issued the order from the stage. His lumpens carried it out on the street. The chain of command is direct. The responsibility is his. This is the extent to which the BJP is willing to go when defeat stares them in the face. Violence. Blood. An attack on a woman. An attack on a Scheduled Caste representative. In broad daylight. Without shame."
Mitali Bag was reportedly admitted to a local hospital. Officials said the situation in the area remains peaceful at present, with security forces maintaining strict vigilance.
The BJP has dismissed allegations leveled by Mitali Bag and her party, saying that the attack on TMC's MP was a "staged" drama. The saffron party further added that it was the TMC workers who had been attacking BJP cadres in the state.
The Arambag seat is currently held by the BJP's Madhusudan Bag, who defeated TMC's Sujata Mondal by a margin of 7,172 (3.3 per cent) votes. The seat used to be a Communist Party of India (Marxist) bastion before the 2011 delimitation. TMC won the seat twice in 2011 and 2016, before losing it to the BJP in the 2021 polls.
The BJP has fielded Hemanta Bag against the TMC's Mita Bag to defend the constituency. CPI(M)'s Bithika Pandit is also in fray.
Earlier today, West Bengal Police arrested four individuals in connection with the violent clashes between TMC and BJP supporters in front of the Jagatdal Police Station.
Polling for the second phase of elections is scheduled on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 4.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
