BJP Delegation Meets Governor Over Post-Poll Violence In West Bengal

A BJP delegation Tuesday met Governor KN Tripathi to lodge complaint about post-poll violence in West Bengal and demanded deployment of army in parts of the state to control the situation.

The BJP delegation led by state party president Dilip Ghosh met Mr Tripathi at Raj Bhawan and demanded immediate action to stop violence after completion of voting.

BJP was locked in an intense electoral fight with the ruling TMC in West Bengal. Some exit polls have predicted the party getting seats in double digits and the TMC's figure coming down out of a total of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

TMC had won 34 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal in 2014 while BJP's tally was only two then.

"The way TMC has let loose its goons, it seems they want to create an atmosphere of anarchy in Bengal. If such a situation continues, then centre should immediately intervene to control the situation. If needed let army be called in to control the situation in Bhatpara. The police is acting as cadres of TMC," Mr Ghosh said.

The governor gave us a patient hearing and assured that he would look into the matter, he claimed.

Not just Bhatpara, in several parts of North Bengal too TMC has let loose violence against us, he said.

BJP leader Arjun Singh, who contested Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat, also demanded deployment of army to control the situation.

Rebutting the charge, TMC's North 24 Pargana district president and minister Jyotipriyo Mullick accused the BJP of indulging in violence and beating up Trinamool Congress workers.

The Election Commission on Monday clamped prohibitory orders in Bhatpara in North 24 Pargana district, following violence in the area during the assembly by-election on Sunday, a senior official said.

Clashes continued between the TMC and the BJP supporters in Bhatpara for the second consecutive day Tuesday, notwithstanding the prohibitory orders imposed in the area.

Unidentified men threw a crude bomb outside Kankinara railway station, but no one was injured in the incident, a police officer said.

Bhatpara, considered to be the stronghold of former TMC assembly lawmaker Arjun Singh, who has switched over to the BJP, turned into a virtual battle zone on Sunday when the by-election was underway, with BJP and TMC activists allegedly clashing with each other in Kankinara.

Bombs were also reportedly thrown and an office of the ruling TMC in Kankinara was set on fire, as central forces restored to lathicharge to bring the situation under control.

The violence caused injury to 14 people, damaged shops and houses, and left TMC Bhatpara bypoll candidate Madan Mitra's car vandalised, police said.