Two Trinamul leaders in North Dinajpur were gunned down during firing by alleged party workers of another faction on Thursday over differences in the selection of candidates for panchayat elections.
Three others suffered injuries in the incident.
The incident has raised questions on whether repeated instructions from the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to ensure peaceful panchayat elections have at all percolated to the grassroots.
On Thursday afternoon, some Trinamul workers and local leaders assembled at a ground in Dighbana of Chopra block.
“It was a booth-level meeting with talks on the selection of candidates for rural polls. Representatives of two factions battled for their candidates but no decision was made. After the meeting, three persons from one of the lobbies opened fire at the other lobby,” said a resident.
Faizul Rehman, 64, a local Trinamul leader, died on the spot from a bullet wound.
Trinamul leader Md Hasu, 52, who was rushed to the Islampur subdivision hospital in a critical state and referred to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, died on the way to Siliguri.
Md Kadir, Faizul’s son, said it was because of party infighting that he lost his father.
“At the meeting, some people proposed some names (as candidates). However, most people, including my father, spoke in favour of other names. After the meeting, as my father was returning home, Naseer, Rashid and another person, who are from the other lobby, came on a motorcycle and started firing. My father was shot in his chest and died,” said Kadir.
As the news spread, a section of Trinamul supporters burnt tyres and raised a road blockade. A large contingent of police reached the spot to bring the situation under control.
A number of senior Trinamul functionaries in the district said time and again, party supremo Mamata Banerjee and general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said all steps would be taken to ensure there was no violence in rural polls.
They said Abhishek clearly stated that the party would only select those who have a good image in the area and can work for people. "We wonder if their message has reached the grassroots. The issue of infighting has again come to the surface ahead of the rural polls,” said a senior Trinamul leader.
Debasree Chaudhuri, the BJP MP of Raiganj, said this was why her party leaders wanted the central forces to monitor the rural polls. She added that several people died in the 2018 rural polls in Bengal and they didn't want a repeat.
Kanaialal Agarwala, Trinamul’s chief in North Dinajpur, said he had no inkling about the meeting.
“No Trinamul candidate can be selected at the local level. State-level teams will reach blocks and select candidates in consultation with block leaders. There was no reason to convene this particular meeting and I had no idea about it. Two of our workers lost their lives. The police should arrest those involved in the violence,” he said.
Senior officers of Islampur police district said cops were posted in the area and probe was on.