A group of BJP supporters shouted “chor (thief)” slogans at chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday as she reached Chalsa in Jalpaiguri district to launch the second leg of her campaign in north Bengal.

Mamata, who took a flight from Calcutta and landed at the Hasimara Air Force Station in the afternoon, headed for Chalsa. Stationed at a private resort in Chalsa, she is set to address public meetings in Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts of north Bengal.

These three districts will vote in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls on April 19.

At Mangalbari, a junction in Chalsa, the BJP held a public meeting in support of Manoj Tigga, the Alipurduar nominee. Chalsa, although in Jalpaiguri district, falls under the Nagrakata Assembly constituency under the Alipurduar Lok Sabha seat.

Aritra Chatterjee, a state BJP leader at the meeting, alleged that before the chief minister’s arrival, some
police personnel approached them and asked them to wind up the meeting.

“For the meeting, we had due permission from the Election Commission. Still, some police officers came and told us to stop the meeting. They also tried to switch
off the microphones and loudhailers forcibly but we resisted. This irked our supporters and some shouted chor chor (thief) as Mamata Banerjee’s convoy crossed the area,” said Chatterjee.

Along with BJP supporters, some local residents had assembled on the road to catch a glimpse of Mamata. While the BJP supporters shouted slogans, others called out the chief minister’s name. She greeted them in return with a smile.

The BJP supporters maintained that Trinamul was mired in corruption and they would continue their protests. The police personnel present at the spot managed to control the situation. After some time, the meeting ended and BJP supporters left the spot.

Trinamul reacted to the BJP’s sloganeering. Tapan Dey, the Jalpaiguri district president of INTTUC, Trinamul’s trade union, said BJP workers were known for foul language.

“The BJP workers should be ashamed of such slogans. Mamata Banerjee is the chief minister and they should respect her. The prime minister came to our district but no Trinamul supporter made any indecent gesture,” said Dey.