Trinamul turncoat Suvendu Adhikari, now the BJP’s candidate from Nandigram, on Friday declined to comment on the injured Mamata Banerjee.

Adhikari, who usually peppers his speeches and media interactions with attacks against his former party supremo Mamata — now his poll rival in Nandigram — has been conspicuous in his silence on Wednesday’s incident that injured and left her hospitalised.

On Friday, the 50-year-old former minister responded to questions on Mamata from the media with “leave it” or refused to answer “apolitical questions”.

The two central ministers Smriti Irani and Dharmendra Pradhan, who shared the dais with him on Friday at Durgachowk before he filed his nomination papers in Haldia, remained mum on the injuries the chief minister sustained during an outreach in Birulia Bazar of Nandigram. While Trinamul has been alleging it was an attempt on Mamata’s life, the BJP is trying to suggest it was an accident.

“We haven’t had a word out of him on Didi’s injuries. Suvendu is a seasoned leader from the grassroots. He understood attacking his former mentor now will annoy people,” said a Trinamul leader, adding no protest to counter Trinamul’s narrative on Wednesday’s incident was seen on Friday.

In his speech, the Trinamul turncoat focused on the contribution of Nandigram in overthrowing the Left rule and tried to explain how many like him were forced to leave Trinamul for the BJP.

“Nandigram is not just an Assembly constituency. It played a role in bringing change from the Left rule in Bengal through the historic movement against land acquisition....It was a second fight for freedom, for the state, led by Nandigram,” he said. “People here brought in change with many dreams, which were not fulfilled. Today, many like me have quit Trinamul and joined the BJP, as it (Trinamul) turned into a private company,” he said.

Later, asked by journalists on the conspiracy theory regarding Mamata’s injuries, Adhikari discontinued many television interviews midway.

“I will not comment on that issue. Senior leaders like general-secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya will tell you about this,” said a visibly uncomfortable Adhikari to one of the journalists in Hindi.

BJP leaders in Adhikari’s entourage said this reticence was probably was a directive from BJP’s top leadership.

“Suvendu (Adhikari) saying something harsh right now, from Nandigram could prove to be counterproductive, coming from someone who had been her close aide for so many years,” said a BJP leader.

Irani, the Union textile minister, attacked Mamata for her slogan Khela Hobe (A game is afoot) and the decision to “flee” from the Bhowanipore Assembly seat. Adhikari, for a change, was silent on that and he did not take Mamata’s name.

“The BJP understood that attacking our injured chief minister was wrong. However, their senior leaders are continuously attacking her from Calcutta and Delhi. We know Didi will return to Nandigram soon and will hand a huge defeat to the BJP,” said Abu Taher, a Trinamul leader from Nandigram.

Pralay Pal, a BJP vice-president in Tamluk, said the party was busy with Adhikari’s nomination on Friday but would be firm in countering the issue, if Mamata’s party used it as a poll plank.
“Trinamul is trying to create pressure on the poll panel. They are distorting facts related to the Nandigram incident and trying to gain sympathy, which is condemnable,” said Samik Bhattacharya, state BJP’s chief spokesperson.