West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has alleged that former chief minister Mamata Banerjee falsely claimed she suffered a leg fracture during the 2021 Assembly election campaign. He said the incident was used to mislead the public and to seek sympathy votes, and added that a detailed inquiry has been ordered.
Banerjee, who contested from Nandigram in 2021, was injured while campaigning in the constituency. She initially said unknown persons pulled and pushed a car door, crushing her leg, and later stated she was hurt when the door hit her amid a crowd.
She was admitted to the government-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata and later returned home with her leg bandaged. In subsequent campaign events, she appeared in a wheelchair, prompting political criticism that the injury was being leveraged for electoral sympathy.
Speaking while campaigning for BJP candidate Hazirani Rath in Nandigram, Adhikari claimed medical reports from the Bangur Neurological Institute showed no evidence of a fracture or dislocation, and that only a minor injury had occurred. He said he would share further details after the election code of conduct ends and insisted that anyone involved would be brought before the law.
With campaigning for the Nandigram and Rejinagar by-elections set to end today and polling due shortly, Adhikari’s remarks have triggered fresh political heat in the state.
