Rampurhat, May 1: Dudh Kumar Mondal, who resigned as Birbhum BJP president to protest the leadership's choice of civic poll candidates, was today stopped from entering a party office in Rampurhat town by party workers.

The incident once again brought to the fore infighting in the BJP in a district where it gained ground in the aftermath of the Lok Sabha elections last year before slipping.

BJP sources said some party workers shouted "go back Dudh Kumar" the moment they spotted him entering the lane leading to the party office, riding pillion on a motorbike.

Mondal initially tried to pacify the party workers but they continued shouting slogans. He left after a few minutes.

Immediately after BJP workers in the district got to know about the incident, a fresh round of debate on the impact of Mondal's resignation before the civic elections started.

"Dudh Kumar was a victim of internal politics at the state headquarters. He had built the organisation in Birbhum but his views were not given any importance during the selection of candidates. The selection process was wrong. The civic poll results have proved that Dudh Kumar was right," a Birbhum BJP leader said.

According to some district party leaders, the absence of Mondal was felt during the municipal polls.

The BJP, which had been making inroads into Trinamul strongholds in Birbhum, was expected to put up a good show in the four civic bodies where elections were held.

But the BJP won only one seat each in Suri and Bolpur. The party bagged three seats in Sainthia and four in Rampurhat. "Even a few months ago, we were hopeful of forming civic boards in Sainthia and Rampurhat. A good show was expected in Bolpur and Suri as well," another district leader said.

Questions have been raised within the party whether the "humiliation" of Mondal would help the BJP move forward in Birbhum.

"Dudh Kumar had put up a strong fight against Trinamul across the district. This was the reason why the party was growing rapidly there. A man of his calibre is required to take the party forward ahead of the 2016 Assembly polls," another BJP leader said.

Those opposed to Mondal accused him of trying to lead a parallel organisation in Birbhum. "Dudh Kumar was becoming too big for his boots. He had started criticising the leadership," a district BJP leader said.

Mondal denied the allegations against him. He said he went to the party office today to meet the victorious BJP councillors from Rampurhat. "But I was prevented from entering. It is unfortunate," he said.