Mahua Moitra egg attack: CPI(M) veteran Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya backs TMC MP
Synopsis
A CPI(M) veteran publicly defending a TMC MP is rare enough to signal just how alarming the Kaliganj incident was. Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya's cross-party condemnation — while police stood by as eggs and cow dung were hurled at a sitting Lok Sabha member — cuts through the BJP-TMC blame game and spotlights a deeper accountability failure in West Bengal.
Key Takeaways
Mahua Moitra , TMC Lok Sabha MP from Krishnanagar , was targeted with eggs and cow dung by a mob at a party office in Kaliganj, Nadia district on Wednesday .
Police were reportedly present during the attack.
Veteran CPI(M) leader and former Rajya Sabha member Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya publicly condemned the assault despite Moitra being his political rival.
TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee accused the BJP of masterminding the attack.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya denied involvement, claiming disgruntled TMC workers were responsible.
Moitra went live on Facebook from the party office during the incident, also criticising a section of her own party.
Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra has drawn an unlikely show of solidarity from a senior leader of her party's arch-rival, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), after a mob hurled eggs and cow dung at her during a party meeting in Nadia district on Wednesday. The cross-party support underscores the gravity of the incident, which unfolded in the presence of police.
Cross-Party Condemnation
Veteran Marxist leader, former Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya issued a social media post squarely condemning the assault, even while acknowledging Moitra as his political opponent. “Mahua Moitra might be my political opponent. But at the end of the day, she is an elected Lok Sabha member. As far as I know, there is no complaint of extortion and corruption against her. The manner in which she was heckled on Wednesday is a matter of shame for a civilised and democratic society. Every person in a civilised society should protest against such barbarity,” Bhattacharya wrote. His intervention is notable given the decades-long bitter rivalry between the CPI(M) and TMC in West Bengal.
What Happened in Kaliganj
The attack occurred on Wednesday afternoon while Moitra was holding an internal party meeting at a Trinamool Congress office located adjacent to National Highway 34 in Kaliganj, Nadia district. Protesters allegedly assembled outside the office and began hurling eggs and cow dung, while also reportedly using abusive language directed at the Krishnanagar constituency MP. Police were present at the scene during the incident, according to reports.
Moitra's Response
Following the attack, Moitra took to Facebook Live from the second floor of the party office, venting her anger — including, notably, against a section of her own party. The live broadcast drew significant attention and amplified the political fallout of the incident.
TMC and BJP Trade Blame
Trinamool Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee issued a lengthy social media post condemning the attack on his parliamentary colleague, directly accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of masterminding the assault. The state BJP president and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya rejected the allegation outright. “The disgruntled Trinamool Congress workers were behind it,” Bhattacharya said, shifting responsibility back onto the ruling party in West Bengal.
Broader Political Context
The incident adds to a pattern of political violence and intimidation that has repeatedly drawn scrutiny in West Bengal. That a sitting Lok Sabha member was targeted in this manner — with police present — raises serious questions about law enforcement accountability in the state. The fact that a CPI(M) stalwart has stepped forward to defend a TMC MP reflects how stark the episode appears even to political adversaries. How the state government responds to demands for accountability will be closely watched in the days ahead.
Point of View
The political temperature in West Bengal has reached an unusual point. Bhattacharya's intervention is not just a gesture of democratic principle — it is an implicit indictment of law enforcement that stood by while a sitting parliamentarian was physically targeted. The BJP-TMC blame exchange is predictable; what is not is the silence from the state administration on accountability for the police presence. West Bengal has a long record of political violence, but attacks on elected members in broad daylight demand a higher standard of response than partisan counter-accusations.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Mahua Moitra in Nadia district?
Mahua Moitra, the TMC Lok Sabha MP from Krishnanagar, was targeted by a mob that hurled eggs and cow dung at her while she was holding an internal party meeting at a Trinamool Congress office in Kaliganj, Nadia district, on Wednesday afternoon. Police were reportedly present during the incident.
Who is Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya and why is his support significant?
Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya is a veteran CPI(M) leader, former Rajya Sabha member, and senior advocate. His public defence of Moitra is significant because the CPI(M) and TMC are bitter political rivals in West Bengal, making cross-party solidarity on this issue highly unusual.
Who has been blamed for the attack on Mahua Moitra?
TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP of orchestrating the attack. The BJP, however, has denied any involvement, with state president Samik Bhattacharya attributing the incident to disgruntled TMC workers.
How did Mahua Moitra respond to the attack?
Moitra went live on Facebook from the second floor of the party office during the incident, expressing her anger. She also reportedly directed some of her criticism at a section of her own party, the TMC.
Why does the police presence during the attack matter?
The presence of police during the attack raises questions about law enforcement accountability, as a sitting Lok Sabha member was physically targeted without apparent intervention. Critics argue this reflects a broader pattern of political violence in West Bengal going unchecked.
