Kolkata, April 6 Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Monday attacked BJP's Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh, alleging discrepancies in his injury claims.
At a rally in Siliguri, Banerjee presented social media photos from last year and urged voters to "verify the truth" in what he framed as a larger issue of political honesty.
The BJP leader had earlier claimed he was injured during protests by flood-hit residents in Jalpaiguri district.
However, Banerjee alleged that the bandage appeared on a different hand than the one Ghosh had said was hurt.
Ghosh, along with party MP Khagen Murmu, had visited flood-affected areas where they encountered protests by a section of locals, allegedly linked to the TMC, and sustained injuries while boarding their vehicle.
"I don't want to launch a personal attack on Shankar Ghosh. But we heard he suffered an injury on one hand, but after being admitted to a hospital, he was seen sporting a bandage on the other hand. Everyone has smartphones. It is the age of social media. You are a better judge than I to verify the truth," Banerjee said.
Campaigning for senior party leader Goutam Dev, the TMC national general secretary claimed public anger against Ghosh stemmed from his alleged absence during crises.
The protests were "spontaneous" and not orchestrated by the TMC, as alleged by the BJP, Banerjee asserted.
He also threw down a legal gauntlet, asserting, "If I am proved wrong, Ghosh is free to file cases against me. The BJP had put central agencies behind me on so many occasions in the past, but could not find a shred of evidence."
Banerjee accused Ghosh of being "missing when people of the constituency need him the most," and attacked the BJP, alleging neglect of Siliguri despite its strategic importance.
He said, "Not a single central cabinet minister had ever attended a meeting at Siliguri, which is such an important hub."
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to Siliguri, Banerjee asked why he comes only during election time.
Banerjee also trained his guns on the Left, accusing the CPI(M) of indirectly aiding the BJP's rise by transferring votes, claiming its "only agenda is to oppose and discredit the TMC, even harming the interest of the common man."
He further alleged that the BJP was relying on "polarisation and religion" in the absence of substantive political messaging. Ghosh, who was campaigning, was not available for comment.