Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday urged the mother of the RG Kar rape-and-murder victim to take part in the BJP’s campaign in Bhabanipur against Mamata Banerjee at least once.

“If you have any time after campaigning in Panihati, I request you to visit Bhabanipur once or twice — at least once. You need to convey your allegations against the health minister, the police minister and the chief minister of the state to the people of Bhabanipur,” said Adhikari.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is also the state’s health and police minister.

The leader of the Opposition, who is contesting from Bhabanipur against Mamata besides his old constituency Nandigram, met the parents of the RG Kar victim on Thursday.

His party, the BJP, on Wednesday nominated the mother of the young doctor who was brutally raped and murder at RG Kar medical College and Hospital in 2024 as the contestant from Panihati constituency.

Adhikari’s plan to take the victim’s mother to Bhabanipur is politically significant, as the family had raised several allegations against the chief minister, who had met them immediately after their daughter’s rape and murder.

“Suvendu da wants to use her in the campaign against Mamata Banerjee. That would not only help him in Bhabanipur, but will also remind people about the horrific August 9, 2024, incident,” said a BJP source.

Multiple BJP leaders have claimed that nominating her would help the party if she campaigned in key Assembly constituencies against Trinamool as well.

A BJP source said that while it may not be possible for the mother to campaign extensively in many seats as the party’s priority is her victory from Panihati, she might campaign in a few constituencies in Calcutta.

Adhikari, however, repeatedly stressed that the victim’s mother was new to electoral politics and that the party would assist her in campaigning.

When reporters asked the mother about the use of her name in the campaign as her daughter was a rape victim, the victim’s father said they had received required permission from court and there would be no problem in using her name.