A tug-of-war has commenced in Siliguri between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP over the ownership of a party office located off the Eastern Bypass of the city.

Sikha Chatterjee, the two-time BJP MLA of Dabgram-Fulbari Assembly constituency, who was previously with Trinamool, has claimed that she owns the land on which the office is built. The Trinamool leadership, including veteran Gautam Deb, has come up with documents to prove they own the office and the land.

The office in Kankata More on the outskirts of Siliguri emerged as a centre of dispute between the BJP and Trinamool after the results of the Assembly elections were announced on May 4, as BJP workers, led by Chatterjee, took control of the office and put up party flags. Till then, the office was with Trinamool.

“A group of six people had donated the land, measuring around five cottah, to Trinamool. At that time, Sikha Chatterjee was a leader of our party, and the land was handed over to her as a representative of the Dabgram-II Trinamool Congress committee. It is disappointing that she's claiming ownership now,” Deb said at a news meet here on Tuesday, furnishing the land deed and some other documents to prove his claim.

“We have been paying land revenue and other taxes for the property. After the land was handed over to our party, we have built the office there. Unfortunately, the MLA and her party workers forcibly broke into the office, damaged furniture and documents of our party, and took control of it. We have filed a complaint with the police, and if required, we would take legal recourse,” the Trinamool leader added.

Other Trinamool leaders backed Deb, accusing Chatterjee of distorting facts. “The land was registered in November 2016. For any organisation, it is common practice that one or more representatives’ names are mentioned in the deed during registry. It is immaterial if that person later quits the organisation,” said a senior party functionary, referring to Chatterjee.

The BJP MLA of Dabgram-Fulbari, an Assembly constituency of Jalpaiguri comprising 14 wards of Siliguri Municipal Corporation and four contiguous panchayats, brushed aside the claims.

“The land concerned is registered in my name. I have every document to prove it. The office is ours,” said Chatterjee. “So far, they (Trinamool) were forcibly occupying the office."