Residents of Balurghat were in for a surprise on Wednesday after handwritten posters against local BJP MLA Ashok Lahiri appeared in several parts of the town, demanding a “son of the soil” as the BJP candidate for the constituency.

It is not clear who put up the posters on Wednesday morning at multiple locations of the town. By noon, the posters were torn down.

The Trinamool Congress was quick to suggest discord within the BJP.

Originally from Calcutta, Lahiri, a noted economist with stints with the government of India, World Bank and International Monetary Fund, among others, won the Balurghat seat as a BJP candidate in the 2021 Assembly elections.

Before the 2021 polls, Lahiri did not have a Balurghat connect as such. He was parachuted there by the BJP high command.

The posters plastered on the walls read “Balurghat bidhan sabhay Balurghater swarthe Balurghater bhumiputra ke chai (We need a local son of the soil for the interest of Balurghat in the Balurghat Assembly seat) and “Balurghater unnayaner birodhi Dr. Ashok Lahiri Balurghat charo (Ashok Lahiri, against Balurghat’s development – leave Balurghat)."

These messages became the talk of not only the town but the South Dinajpur district.

Contacted, Lahiri said over the phone: "I am unaware of such posters. The party will definitely look into the issue and find out who all have put up those.”

Subhash Chaki, the Trinamool president of Balurghat town committee, claimed that not only were people of Balurghat unhappy with Lahiri's performance as MLA, even members of Lahiri’s own party were disappointed.

“The MLA does not stay in Balurghat regularly. Development work in his constituency has stalled. It is natural for people here to be angry. This could be a result of internal conflict within the BJP,” Chaki said.

District BJP leaders declined to formally comment on the issue.

“We are surprised and are trying to find out who has put up the posters ahead of the Assembly polls,” said a party functionary.