A section of BJP workers locked up the party's Mainaguri block office in Jalpaiguri district and staged a dharna, demanding the renomination of sitting MLA Kaushik Roy from the Mainaguri Assembly seat.
The protestors said the central and state leadership of the BJP had “unjustly” replaced Kaushik Roy with Dalim Roy as the candidate. They alleged that monetary considerations had influenced Dalim’s nomination.
The demonstrators gathered in front of the BJP office after locking its gates. They warned that anyone campaigning for Dalim would face strong resistance from the aggrieved faction. “We do not accept him as the candidate. His nomination is imposed on us by the leadership by sidelining long-time BJP members,” said a protester.
Dalim had joined the BJP recently after leaving the Trinamool Congress.
Supporters of Dalim arrived at the BJP office and tried to break open the locked office gate. This led to heated exchanges between the two groups.
Leaders aligned with Dalim downplayed the protest. Sujan Mitra, president of the BJP’s Yuva Morcha in the town, said the unrest was limited to a small group of workers reacting emotionally to the change in candidature.
After the protesters left, the office was reopened.
Kaushik said: “I had initially been declared as the candidate and had begun campaigning. It is natural for BJP workers to feel disappointed after my name was withdrawn.”
Dalim sought to strike a conciliatory tone, suggesting that differences of opinion were part of a large political organisation. “In a big party, some resentment is natural. The leadership is handling the situation,” he said.