Isha Khan Choudhury, the Congress candidate in Malda Dakshin seat, on Monday accused Trinamool of playing the polarisation card against him, which the party has stoutly denied.

Isha, the son of the sitting Congress MP A.H. Khan Choudhury and nephew of late Congress patriarch A.B.A. Ghani Khan Choudhury, filed a complaint along with “evidences” with the Election Commission of India.

Speaking to newspersons here, Isha said that according to his family tradition, he went to a local Kali temple and a dargah before launching his election campaign this time.

“However, this is nothing new. Even my uncle A.B.A. Ghani Khan Choudhury, my father and other members of my family would pay obeisance to different religious places, including this temple, before launching their election campaign. It is a family tradition and I have simply followed it,” said Isha.

Isha alleged that the Trinamool Congress had picked up the issue of his visiting the temple and campaigned that voting for him would only help the BJP.

“Trinamool leaders claim that they are a secular party. But this time, the party has used this issue to polarise votes and even distributed pamphlets about me. We believe this is a gross violation of the model code of conduct and we have filed a complaint with the EC and the district administration,” said Isha.

Isha alleged that Trinamool leaders even accused his father A.H. Khan Choudhury of being appreciative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but did not specify when.

"It seems that Trinamool leaders have realized that their party will not win in any (of the two) parliamentary seats in Malda (Malda Uttar and Malda Dakshin). That is why the party is playing such tricks to hoodwink voters,” the Congress leader alleged.

As the district has around 50 per cent Muslim population, both the Congress and Trinamool are determinedly wooing the majority of Muslim votes on their side.

“The BJP has put in efforts to polarise votes in this district. Now if the minority votes split, it would only pave the way for the saffron camp,” said an observer.

Malda, he pointed out, is one of the few districts in Bengal where the Trinamool Congress has never won any Lok Sabha seat. In 2019, the BJP had bagged the Malda Uttar seat while the Congress had won the Malda Dakshin seat.

Trinamool leaders, when told about Isha’s charge, distanced themselves from the topic.

“I have no idea if anyone has done such campaigns. But I can assure people that no member, worker or supporter of the Trinamool Congress has any connection with any such alleged campaign. We don’t mix politics with religion,” said Shahnawaz Ali Raihan, the Trinamool candidate of Malda Dakshin seat.