West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday (October 3, 2026) alleged that former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faked her leg injury while campaigning in Nandigram in 2021. Citing medical reports from a government facility, Mr. Adhikari claimed that it showed she did not have any signs of a fracture.
“Mamata Banerjee faked her leg injury while campaigning in Nandigram in 2021. This is the report of the Department of Radio Diagnosis of Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, dated March 11, 2021. There is no evidence of a fracture,” Mr. Adhikari said while addressing the press at the State Secretariat. He also said the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was already investigating the matter and added that the State government would launch a fresh probe after the upcoming Assembly byelection.
The Nandigram bypoll, scheduled to take place on October 6, 2026, was necessitated after Mr. Adhikari vacated the seat, which was one of two he had won in the State elections earlier this year. The other constituency that he won was Bhabanipur.
“Her false allegation insulted the people of Nandigram. The CID is investigating the matter, and I will not divulge more details. Once the Model Code of Conduct is lifted after October 9, we will initiate a fresh probe into this false propaganda,” he said.
Ms. Banerjee used a wheelchair and had a plaster on her leg while campaigning in Nandigram in 2021.
For this year’s byelection, she has decided to support the Congress candidate after her party’s nominee withdrew from the contest at the last moment. Later, on September 18, Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested in connection with a case filed 19 years ago. He was granted bail by the Calcutta High Court on September 28.
Trinamool reaction
Reacting to the Chief Minister’s allegation, Trinamool Congress spokesperson and MLA Kunal Ghosh termed it unfortunate and tasteless. “Slandering and spreading misinformation about anyone’s personal injury is reprehensible. Mamata di had a foot injury, and the doctors concerned are witnesses to that…,” he said. Noting that doctors and medical institutions don’t disclose anyone’s personal medical information to others, he added, “the government should remember that, too.”
In 2021, Ms. Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress registered an emphatic victory in the State elections, with the party bagging 216 of the 294 seats and restricting the BJP to 77. However, Ms. Banerjee lost to Mr. Adhikari from Nandigram by a margin of 1,956 voters. She was re-elected to the State Assembly from Bhabanipur later in 2021.
In 2026, the BJP swept the Assembly election, winning 207 seats and leaving the Trinamool Congress with 80. Weeks after the election results came out, 65 of the Trinamool Congress’s 80 MLAs expressed support for Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee.
On October 6, byelections will be held in Nandigram and Rejinagar, and the results will be announced on October 9. The BJP leadership, including the Chief Minister, has made the bypolls a prestige fight for the party.
Published – October 03, 2026 06:19 pm IST
