The filing of nominations for candidates contesting the three Assembly seats under the Bidhannagar subdivision ended at the Bidhannagar subdivisional office on Thursday, the last day of the process.

There was tension outside the office on Tuesday when rival candidates for the Rajarhat New Town seat arrived one after the other to file their nominations. Outgoing MLA and Trinamul Congress nominee Tapash Chatterjee was inside the chamber of the Electoral Registration Officer when Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Piyush Kanoria reached the building.

As Kanoria entered, Trinamul supporters began raising slogans of “Jai Bangla”. Outnumbered but unfazed, Kanoria walked up to some of them and shook hands. “I have no problem with their slogan. Enader biswas hochche amra jai ta korte pari, tai jonye era bolchhe ‘Jai Paschimbanger jai’. I am ready to work with everyone for the development of New Town,” he said, while asking his companions not to get drawn into altercations.

A BJP worker said Kanoria had been delayed because the nomination rally had taken a long route from Rajarhat. “Dada was supposed to reach between 2pm and 3pm, but the rally took time. Once we reached Biswa Bangla Gate, he took a bike to reach the venue quickly. He was brought in through the side where Trinamul supporters were waiting, which created the problem,” he said.

Police and Central forces intervened and swiftly brought the situation under control.