West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met BJP MP Khagen Murmu in a gesture described as a "courtesy visit" following his alleged attack by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers during a visit to flood-ravaged areas in Jalpaiguri district's Dooars region. The encounter comes amid escalating political tensions over the state's handling of devastating floods and landslides in North Bengal, which have claimed over 40 lives since September 30 and displaced thousands. Banerjee, who toured the affected sites earlier in the day, met 21 bereaved families and pledged one government job per family within 15 days, while rebuking the central government for withholding flood relief funds.

Banerjee's visit to Murmu, a diabetic under medical observation at Kolkata's SSKM Hospital, was prompted by reports of his injuries, which she deemed "not serious" after reviewing doctors' reports. "I heard he is injured, which is why I paid a visit. I pray for his speedy recovery," she told reporters, emphasising the humanitarian intent. It remains unclear if she met fellow BJP MLA Sankar Ghosh, also hurt in the Sunday assault, with whom Banerjee has traded barbs in the state assembly. The BJP alleges the attack was orchestrated by TMC cadres amid Murmu's criticism of the government's flood response, highlighting deepening rifts in a state where TMC holds a supermajority of 213 seats in the 294-member assembly.

The meeting drew a mixed response from the BJP. State president Sukanta Majumdar welcomed the "courtesy visit" but questioned the lack of arrests 24 hours post-incident, labelling it indicative of a collapsing law-and-order framework. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the violence on October 6 as "outright appalling" and a symptom of West Bengal's "pathetic" security situation, prompting Banerjee to accuse him of politicising a natural calamity. Majumdar further lambasted the TMC regime as "intolerant and incompetent," accusing it of resource exploitation in North Bengal while prioritising festivities like the Durga Puja carnival in Kolkata, which proceeded despite the tragedy.

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Defending the carnival's continuation, Banerjee noted logistical constraints: "Once a disaster strikes, at least 48 hours are needed for rescue and relief. Some are playing politics. We couldn't cancel the Puja carnival on Sunday since all VIPs were already present. I came here within 24 hours." The floods, triggered by relentless monsoon rains, have inundated tea gardens and villages across Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar, with the Teesta and Jaldhaka rivers breaching embankments. The state has deployed over 2,000 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel and airlifted supplies, but opposition parties demand a central probe into alleged mismanagement.

As Banerjee balances relief efforts with electoral optics ahead of 2026 polls, her overture to Murmu signals an attempt at de-escalation, though the BJP's probing of accountability persists in this polarised political theatre.

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