BJP workers deny entry to nominee, attack car

The saffron party supporters said they wouldn’t allow anyone to campaign for Soumen Roy

Local sources said Roy did not have a “good reputation”.:Shutterstock

Kousik Sen   |   TT   |   Raiganj   |   25.03.21: Kaliaganj in North Dinajpur witnessed an unusual scene on Wednesday as BJP supporters hit the streets to protest against BJP’s candidate Soumen Roy and prevented him from entering the town. They said they wouldn’t allow anyone to campaign for Roy. 

Local sources said Roy did not have a “good reputation”.

Since morning, BJP supporters burnt tyres and asserted they would prevent Roy from entering Kaliaganj. Any district party leader who supported Roy would also be denied entry, they said.

As protests were on at Vivekananda More of the town, Roy along with Prakash Pusti, a co-convener of the BJP in North Dinajpur district, reached the outskirts of Kaliaganj. A group of agitated BJP supporters reached Baghan-Battali area near the town and attacked the vehicles with Roy Pusti and some others.

“We were taking the candidate to his constituency when we were attacked. The attackers carrying bricks and stones targeted my vehicle. They also assaulted me. The situation was such that the candidate (Roy) was forced to leave,” said Pusti.

Pusti, party sources said, er made another attempt to enter the town through another route. He was again intercepted, thrashed and his e-rickshaw was attacked.

“We suspect some local Trinamul leaders have orchestrated this violence by inciting some people,” said a district BJP leader.

This is the first time BJP supporters have denied entry to a candidate in his seat.

“None of us want Soumen Roy as the candidate. The district and state leaders should change the candidate or else, our protests will continue,” said a BJP leader in Kaliaganj. 

In neighbouring Malda, Sheikh Ziauddin, the BJP candidate of Sujapur seat, wrote to the district leadership on Tuesday night, saying he did not want to contest the polls.

By Wednesday afternoon, BJP, in a damage-control bid, could make Ziauddin assert that he was forced by “some Trinamul leaders” to write the letter.

Nantu rally 

Former Trinamul leader and veteran politician Nantu Paul filed his nomination as an Independent from Siliguri Assembly seat on Wednesday. He also took out a rally.