An outgoing BJP MLA, who is also contesting in these Assembly elections, received an appointment letter tasking him with election duty, followed by a showcause notice for failing to attend training.

Deepak Barman, the BJP candidate and sitting MLA from the Falakata Assembly seat in Alipurduar district, who is also the headmaster of Deogaon High School in Falakata, was initially issued an administrative letter stating he had been appointed as a presiding officer for election duty.

As a contesting candidate, Barman did not attend the first training session.

Subsequently, he was served a showcause notice for his absence.

Adding to the confusion, Barman received another letter recently asking him to attend the second round of training as a poll official.

Barman said: “After receiving the first training letter, I informed the administration. Despite that, a showcause notice was issued against me. A few days ago, I even received a call asking me to attend the second training, which was quite surprising.”

Sources in the administration said that Barman might not have approached the appropriate authority to have his name officially exempted from election duty.

“If any contesting candidate is issued an election duty letter, it will be withdrawn immediately,” said Mayuri Vasu, the district magistrate and the district election officer of Alipurduar.

Attack on candidates

Tensions escalated in the Mathabhanga town of Cooch Behar on Sunday night after repeated clashes between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers.

The unrest reportedly began with an assault on a Trinamool councillor and intensified into an attack on a BJP candidate’s vehicle.

According to reports, trouble started in the Jhankar More area of Mathabhanga when the convoy of BJP candidate Nisith Pramanik was passing through.

It was alleged that some BJP workers in the convoy assaulted Chandrashekhar Roy Basunia, the Trinamool councillor from ward 5 of the Mathabhanga municipality, and vandalised a local Trinamool office.

Councillor Basunia and Bappa Hossain, another Trinamool worker, suffered injuries in the assault.

As news spread, Trinamool workers staged a demonstration in front of the Mathabhanga police station in protest.

The situation became volatile when the car of Sitalkuchi BJP candidate Sabitri Barman was attacked with sticks as it passed through the same area. Another vehicle was
also damaged.

Sabitri claimed that she was returning after campaigning when her car was attacked. On seeing the Trinamool protest near the police station, she attempted to take an alternate route, but her car was attacked, she alleged, adding that cops rescued her and escorted her to the police station.

Trinamool leaders denied attacking Sabitri’s car. Sablu Barman, the Trinamool candidate of Mathabhanga, blamed the BJP for the assault at Jhankar More.

Pramanik, in turn, claimed their convoy was following a pre-approved route when Trinamool supporters hurled stones at the cars.

Police officers said the situation was brought under control fast. They are probing both incidents, said sources.