Post-poll violence under Mamata Banerjee government’s administration will be the main plank for the

Opposition, BJP in the Bhowanipore byelection, which has decided to field lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal against the chief minister.

According to BJP sources, the biggest factor that swung the nomination in Tibrewal’s favour was her legal victory on the issue of post-poll violence that came as a major embarrassment for the ruling Trinamul.

The 1981-born Tibrewal had unsuccessfully contested the 2021 Assembly polls from Entally on a BJP ticket. Since the elections, she has been busy at Calcutta High Court seeking justice for the victims of post-poll violence in the state, which the administration has denied. Her efforts in the legal ring culminated into a scathing report from the National Human Rights Commission and a court-monitored CBI probe into the allegations of atrocities committed women and murder.

The Bhowanipore-born president of the state youth front of the BJP since August 2020, Tibrewal has been active in the legal field. Her candidature was announced on the day when Mamata is scheduled to file her nomination.

The Congress has already decided not to field any candidate against Mamata this time. Since its on-and-off alliance with the CPM, the Bhowanpore seat was always given to the Congress.

The CPM has nominated another lawyer Srijeeb Biswas against Mamata, though the main contest is likely to be between the Trinamul and the BJP, which is banking heavily on the presence of over 40 per cent non-Bengali speaking Hindus in the constituency.

Tibrewal was close to the Asansol MP and former central minister Babul Supriyo, who is currently out of favour among the BJP top brass. She also shares a good rapport with

state president Dilip Ghosh.

Talking to television channels after her candidacy was announced, Tibrewal said she was not an outsider in Bhowanipore. “I was born in Bhowanipore and know every lane and bylane. I have already taken on Mamata Banerjee in court and I proved her wrong on the issue of post-poll violence in Bengal. This is my second challenge to her,” Tibrewal said.