At Nandigram, Mamata stands up from wheelchair for national anthem

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was on Tuesday seen standing up from her wheelchair at a public meeting in Nandigram, the constituency from where she is contesting the assembly elections. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief was heard saying she wanted to get back on her feet for joining her party members in singing the national anthem. Soon after, Banerjee attempted to stand up from her wheelchair, much to the apparent trepidation of others, including Rajya Sabha MP Subrata Bakshi, present on the stage. But Banerjee insisted, and moments later, she was up on her feet to join in for the national anthem.

Banerjee was injured while campaigning at Nandigram after filing her nomination on March 10. She had claimed that it was a deliberate attack by 4-5 people. Following the incident, the chief minister was admitted to the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata and discharged on March 12. She has been campaigning in various parts of the state in a wheelchair, which has drawn in ire from her critiques and empathy from sympathisers. Earlier in the day, a wheelchair-bound Banerjee even held a 'padyatra' (foot march) in Nandigram's Bhagabeda, leading party workers along the way.

Tuesday was the last day of campaigning for Phase 2 of the assembly polls, slated for April 1. Banerjee faces Suvendu Adhikari, who switched camps from the TMC to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in Nandigram. It is being called a "battle of prestige" for both the contestants.

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Nandigram is important to Banerjee as it is the birthplace of the anti-land acquisition movement which propelled her to power in 2011. Adhikari is the sitting MLA from Nandigram and his family has enjoyed significant clout in the East Medinipur district of which the Nandigram assembly segment is a part. In the campaign, TMC has consistently said that Adhikari won the 2016 election because of the TMC party and Mamata Banerjee. Adhikari, on the other hand, has projected himself as the 'bhoomiputra' (son of the soil) in the campaign.

The first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections concluded with an estimated 79.79 per cent voter turnout on Saturday.

After the second phase on April 1, the polling for 31 seats in the third phase of the 294-member state assembly will be held on April 6. The elections for 44 seats will be held in the fourth phase on April 10. Further, in the fifth phase on April 17, 45 seats will go to the polls. The sixth phase is scheduled for April 22 when elections for 43 seats will be done. In the seventh phase on April 26, polling will be held for 36 seats. Finally, the eighth phase is scheduled for April 29 when 35 seats will go for polling.

The counting of votes will take place on May 2.