West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee sustained minor injuries in a car accident while returning from Bardhaman to Kolkata on Wednesday. The incident occurred due to bad weather, and a vehicle suddenly appeared in front of her convoy, leading to the driver applying brakes abruptly.
Banerjee suffered minor head injuries and was promptly taken back to Kolkata for treatment. After receiving medical aid, she informed the media, "While we were on our way, a vehicle came from the other side and was about to dash into my car; I wouldn't have survived if my driver had not pressed the brakes. Due to sudden braking, I hit the dashboard and got a little injured. I am safe because of the blessings of people."
The Chief Minister had visited Purba Bardhaman earlier in the day to chair an administrative review meeting.
Earlier, The Chief Minister declared that her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal independently after failed seat-sharing discussions with the Congress, a partner in the 'INDIA' bloc alliance. Banerjee stated, "I had given them [Congress] a proposal [on seat-sharing], but they refused it at the outset. Our party has now decided to go alone in Bengal."
Banerjee refuted media reports about seat-sharing talks and asserted not having any communication with the Congress on the matter. "Now, we have decided that there is no relation with the Congress in Bengal," she emphasized, declaring a complete separation between the TMC and Congress in the state. These remarks come a day before Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Nyay Yatra enters West Bengal.
Addressing the situation, Banerjee commented, "Let the Congress fight 300 seats on its own. The regional parties are together and can contest the rest. However, we will not tolerate any interference by them [Congress] in Bengal." The TMC's decision to go solo in West Bengal signals a significant shift in political alliances and sets the stage for an interesting electoral landscape in the state.