A BJP leader on Thursday reportedly prevented the local Trinamul councillor from entering his ward 24 office, alleging the latter had encroached on it.
Bikash Sarkar, who made the accusation, was with Trinamul before he joined the BJP. Trinamul supporters assembled at the site and accused Sarkar of trying to foment tension.
Siliguri Gautam Deb and his deputy Ranjan Sarkar also rushed to the ward to ensure the councillor Pratul Chakraborty could enter his office. Police also went to the site to keep the situation under control.
Sources said councillor Chakraborty, who is also the chairman of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, on Thursday reached the office that he uses every day to talk to people and carry out other regular activities in the ward.
Sarkar reached the spot and prevented Chakraborty from entering the office.
“It was an NGO’s office. Trinamul acquired it illegally and hence I prevented the councillor,” the BJP leader said.
This led to an altercation between Sarkar and Chakraborty. Soon, hundreds of Trinamul supporters assembled at the spot and shouted slogans against Sarkar.
Sarkar, however, stood and squatted on the road, shouting counter slogans.
Deputy mayor Ranjan Sarkar reached the spot and tried to speak with the BJP leader, but the latter refused, leading to a heated verbal exchange.
A section of Trinamul supporters tried to advance toward the BJP leader but they were stopped by the police. Councillor Chakraborty claimed the office belonged to Congress.
“As it was vacant, I asked the Congress leaders to allow me to use it as the ward councilor’s office. The charge of encroachment is baseless,” he said.
In last year’s civic polls, Sarkar had contested against Chakraborty and lost by a slim margin. Siliguri’s BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh resides in the same ward.
As Trinamul workers continued their demonstration against the BJP leader, mayor Gautam Deb reached the spot.
He spoke with Chakraborty and other party leaders, and in presence of police officers, entered the office.
“He (Chakraborty) is a veteran leader and had taken proper permission to use the office. Bikash Sarkar, who has joined BJP, created a public nuisance and heckled our leader,” said Deb.
Sarkar left the place. General secretary of Darjeeling district Congress Jeevan Majumder confirmed that councillor Chakraborty was given permission to use the building in public interest.