2021 once again: Ahead of election, Mamata suffers injuries

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee suffers hip and knee injuries while getting down from helicopter following an emergency landing

| Updated: 27 June, 2023 7:20 pm IST
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee waved to the crowd before boarding the helicopter

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suffered minor injuries to her hip and knee after her helicopter made a precautionary landing today in North Bengal.

The incident took place after CM Banerjee headed for Bagdogra in her helicopter after addressing a public meeting in Jalpaiguri while campaigning for her Trinamool Congress (TMC). However, due to inclement weather, the helicopter had to make an emergency landing at Sevoke Military Airbase.

Sources told The New Indian that CM Banerjee suffered injuries while alighting from the helicopter. She is being treated by a team of five doctors, including an orthopaedic surgeon, at the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata.

CM Banerjee went to Bagdogra by road and from there she was taken to Kolkata on a special flight, sources added.

Later in the evening, a medical bulletin from the SSKM Hospital stated that CM Banerjee suffered a left knee joint ligament injury as well as a left hip joint ligament injury. “She was advised to get admitted. But she said that she will continue all the treatment at home as per the doctor’s recommendation,” the bulletin added.

Interestingly, during the 2021 state assembly election, CM Banerjee suffered injuries in her left leg while campaigning in Nandigram. She alleged that during her campaigning, five people surrounded her and pushed her, which resulted in injuries.

CM Banerjee, however, continued to campaign from her wheelchair. Many believed that the incident and her subsequent campaigning from a wheelchair became TMC’s turning point.

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Reacting to CM Banerjee’s injury, the president of the BJP’s Bengal unit, Sukanta Majumdar, said, “Whenever elections get scheduled, CM gets injuries in her leg. Repeated foot injuries are not a good sign at all. However, I wish for her speedy recovery.”

Before suffering injuries, CM Banerjee was breathing fire as she targeted the main opposition party in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is threatening to end her rule in the state.

“BJP is only around for six months. I know India and its people. The BJP will be wiped out in the general elections next year. This is why they are focussing on their lobbies,” CM Banerjee said.

“Suddenly, they will share pictures with some Muslims to show how much they care about minorities. But they have killed minorities and Dalits by lynching them,” she added.

ALSO READ: Mamata kickstarts TMC’s campaign from BJP stronghold, vows to win panchayats

Targeting Prime minister Narendra Modi, CM Banerjee said, “Modi is in power today but will not remain so forever. Instead of committing atrocities, they (BJP) must work with the people, and not against them.”

Pointing out the fact that while North Bengal mostly voted for the BJP, she has not forgotten them, CM Banerjee said, “We did not win many seats during the last assembly election. Did I discriminate after coming to power? No. I knew that people might not have supported us yesterday, but tomorrow they will. I have this faith.”

Meanwhile, TMC national general secretary and CM Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, also started his panchayat election campaigning in Nadia district.

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