Mamata Banerjee Not Contesting Another Seat: Trinamool Dismisses PM's Dig

Trinamool MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said the PM must "apologise for such wild and baseless claims".

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, asked if she would contest the elections from another seat, suggesting that her loss in Nandigram is imminent, the Trinamool Congress sources clarified that she harboured no such intention. Sporadic incidents of violence, allegations of booth capturing and clashes on Thursday marked the second phase of assembly polls in Bengal, especially in the high-profile Nandigram constituency, even as 80 per cent turnout was recorded till 5 pm. The Election Commission has sought a report in connection with an incident in the Boyal area of Nandigram - where Mamata Banerjee was held up for more than two hours following a siege allegedly laid by supporters of the BJP. BJP leader Jaiprakash Majumdar, echoing the Prime Minister, said that Ms Banerjee is "likely to contest from another seat after sensing defeat in Nandigram", an assertion rejected by the Trinamool leadership.