In a bombing at a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader’s home in East Medinipur, West Bengal, at least three persons were killed and a number of others were hurt. This occurs before TMC chief Abhishek Banerjee’s rally on Saturday in the neighbourhood.
According to sources, the incident happened in the Bhupatinagar neighbourhood, which is approximately 1.5 kilometres from Contai town, where TMC national general secretary Abhishek is set to speak at a public gathering. A senior police officer of the Contai sub-division said, “The reason of the blast is still unknown, and additional investigation is underway, but the impact was so intense that the mud house with a thatched roof was blown off in the incident.”
In response to the incident, Dilip Ghosh, vice president of the BJP at the national level, blamed the TMC and claimed that “only the bomb-making industry is flourishing in the state.” Sujan Chakraborty, a senior member of the CPI (M), questioned Mamata Banerjee’s silence regarding these incidents and demanded a statement from her.
On Saturday, high-tension drama is anticipated in Bengal as opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari is also set to speak at a meeting in Diamond Harbour, Abhishek’s Lok Sabha district. Abhishek will speak at a meeting in Contai, which is rumoured to be Suvendu’s stronghold. Suvendu said earlier on Friday that the TMC was attempting to disrupt his gathering in defiance of the Calcutta High Court’s decision. He reportedly threatened to mobilise BJP supporters if the rally was interrupted, according to ANI.
Additionally, Suvendu petitioned the HC to prohibit Abhishek from holding a rally less than 200 metres from his home. He argued in his defence that the rally would disrupt the local peace. However, the HC gave conditional approval and instructed the police to make sure that nobody caused the Adhikari family any hardship.
The state’s next panchayat elections, which are set for early next year, are being prepared for by both parties.
