At least three people – a Trinamool Congress worker and 2 BJP workers – have died in a clash this evening in West Bengal’s 24 North Parganas district, leading to a blame game between the two parties.
The clashes at Nayjat in the district’s Sandeshkhali area took place at 7 this evening over removing of party flags.
A 26-year-old Trinamool Congress worker, Qayum Mollah, was shot and hacked to death during the clashes. The BJP claims three of its workers were killed when Trinamool workers opened fire.
BJP’s Mukul Roy pinned the blame directly on Trinamool Congress chief and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said the state unit of the BJP will complain to Home Minister Amit Shah.
The BJP has long accused the Trinamool Congress of trying to intimidate its workers in West Bengal through violence. Mamata Banerjee had skipped PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony over allegations by the BJP that as many as 54 of its workers were killed in political violence across the state in the last six years.
After a bitterly fought election, the BJP ended up winning 18 of the 42 seats in West Bengal – just four less than the Trinamool Congress’ tally of 22. Mamata Banerjee’s party had bagged 34 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.
