The Trinamool Congress on Saturday announced a signature campaign and series of protest rallies targeting Cooch Behar North BJP MLA Sukumar Roy after one of its local leaders was shot at on Thursday.

Reportedly, MLA Roy's son Dipankar is involved.

On Saturday evening, the Trinamool district leadership held a rally and street-corner meeting at Jhenaidanga, some 5km from Cooch Behar town, condemning the attack on Cooch Behar-2 panchayat samiti member and Trinamool leader Raju Dey on Thursday night. Raju was injured.

Police have arrested Dipankar and Uttam Gupta, the driver of a vehicle seized after the incident.

“We will conduct the signature campaign across all 316 booths under the Cooch Behar North constituency between July 8 and 15, followed by rallies and public meetings in each booth. One of our meetings will be held directly in front of the BJP MLA's residence,” said Suvankar Dey, Trinamool district secretary.

The party alleged that the attack on its member was a part of a broader pattern of “political terror” by the BJP in the region.

Minister for north Bengal development department and Dinhata MLA Udayan Guha visited the injured Trinamool leader at a private hospital on Friday evening, accompanied by district party president Abhijit De Bhowmik and other senior leaders. After the visit, Guha launched a scathing attack on the BJP.

“The entire family of the MLA should have been arrested. They think they can grab Cooch Behar through hooliganism. They are wrong. The law will take its course,” said Guha. “The car used in the attack has been identified. Police have evidence, and the culprits must face the consequences.”

Responding to charges, MLA Roy claimed they were politically motivated. “Cooch Behar North is a BJP stronghold. Trinamool has no organisational base here. They are trying to fabricate a conspiracy for political gain, but people will reject them again in the next election,” he said.

The arrested duo were produced in Cooch Behar district court on Saturday. The police sought seven days of custody, but the court granted five days.