- TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee was assaulted while visiting the family of a party leader who has died
- Opposition leaders have condemned the attack, calling it the BJP's politics of vendetta and intimidation
- The attack has sparked sympathy for Mamata Banerjee and signalled cohesion in the INDIA alliance
The attack on Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee in Bengal has had an unexpected spin-off - a fresh momentum within the Opposition INDIA Bloc, which had appeared shell-shocked at the BJP victory in Bengal and the Congress-DMK split in Tamil Nadu.
Abhishek Banerjee was allegedly set upon by locals and beaten up when he tried to visit the family of a party leader who allegedly died in poll violence. The Trinamool has claimed that the attack was orchestrated by the BJP and carried out by goons brought in from outside.
Leaders of the Opposition parties have reacted sharply to the assault.
Condemning the violence, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said it is a consequence of the BJP's politics of vendetta.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav remarked that the "anarchic" BJP government in Bengal has proved that the party is incapable of doing anything other than engaging in hateful, negative politics.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi asserted: "An attack on an MP is not merely an attack on an individual. It is an attack on the very people who elected him. This represents a repulsive manifestation of the BJP's politics of vendetta. Political differences can never justify violence."
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Nasir Hussain told NDTV, "What is unfolding in Bengal is extremely dangerous and deeply concerning".
This is not an isolated incident, he said.
"It is a deliberate attempt to intimidate and terrorise political opponents. Holding power does not grant one the license to act out of a spirit of vengeance. If an elected MP cannot move freely within his own state, it ceases to be merely an issue of law and order; it speaks volumes about the character, conduct, and intentions of those currently holding power there," he said.
"This strikes at the very foundations of democracy. The government in Bengal has failed to discharge its Constitutional duties," he added.
The statements issued by the Congress President and the Samajwadi Party leader hold out hopes for fresh cohesion within the INDIA bloc.
The events involving Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee in Bengal are seen to have evoked a sense of sympathy for Mamata Banerjee among Opposition leaders, prompting them to step forward in her defence.
Mamata Banerjee - whose relationship with the Congress has historically been somewhat turbulent -today finds leaders ranging from Mallikarjun Kharge to Rahul Gandhi rallying in her support.
Banerjee has called for a meeting of the INDIA alliance in the first week of June.
But when NDTV reached out to Congress leaders, it emerged that the meeting might not take place quite so soon, as several key leaders of the INDIA alliance are not available on that date.
The INDIA alliance had suffered a body blow recently with the departure of the DMK. There have been fears that a few other DMK allies might also walk out.
The manner in which the Congress severed ties with the DMK and aligned with the TVK, did not sit well with many members of the INDIA alliance.
The attack on Abhishek Banerjee in Bengal appears to have served to reunite these parties once again. It now remains to be seen when the INDIA alliance meeting can actually be held.
Congress sources indicated that while the party hopes to retain the DMK's support for cooperation within Parliament, it remains to be seen whether a collaboration is feasible outside the parliamentary sphere.
Observers are now eagerly awaiting to see when actor Vijay's party, the TVK, will officially become a constituent member of the INDIA alliance.
