Hanskhali, May 26: A Trinamul Congress supporter was stabbed to death by a party colleague at a village square in Nadia in broad daylight.

Anil Bag, who had earlier been a CPM supporter, joined Trinamul last month and found himself on the winning side again with his new party sweeping the rural polls in the area.

That raised the hackles of many Trinamul “veterans”, including Bablu Sardar, who had warned Anil against attending victory processions.

But Anil was part of the rally taken out by gram panchayat member Azhem Sheikh last evening.

When Bablu met Anil today, he wanted to know why Anil participated in the rally.

“An altercation ensued and suddenly Bablu, who was carrying a knife, ran after him. Anil ran for his life but was caught at the village square, yards away from his house,” said an officer of the Hanskhali police station, 70km from Calcutta.

Around 11.30am, Bablu drove the knife into Anil’s chest repeatedly as many villagers, including children, looked on.

“The injuries were deep and Anil soon slumped to the ground. But Bablu did not stop even after he fell,” the police officer added.

Nadia superintendent of police H.K. Kusumakar said villagers brought Anil to the Shaktinagar District Hospital in Krishnagar, where he was declared “brought dead”.

“Bablu Sardar is absconding. A hunt is on for him,” the superintendent said.

Anil’s widow Sumitra said Bablu had a “bitter rivalry” with him since his days with the CPM.

“He had opposed my husband’s entry into Trinamul tooth and nail,” Sumitra added.

Anil’s 17-year-old son Pradip said Bablu had hurled abuses at him during yesterday’s rally. “My father paid the price for defying his threats.”

In Hanskhali, Trinamul has won almost all gram panchayat and panchayat samiti seats.

Local residents said Bablu was a known tough.