A Congress leader was arrested by Murshidabad’s Sagardighi police on charges of rape early Saturday, prompting the Congress to accuse ruling Trinamul of trying to inject fear among Congress workers in the bypoll-bound area.

Saidur Rahaman, the general secretary of Congress’s Sagardighi unit, was picked up from his home in Patkeldanga village under Sagardighi block based on a week-old complaint lodged by his neighbour.

The police refused to officially comment on the arrest.

Congress leaders held an agitation in front of Sagardighi police station. State Congress chief and Behrampore MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury joined the agitation.

Sagardighi will go to the polls on February 27, necessitated by Trinamul MLA Subrata Saha’s death. Congress sources said if the bypoll was held fairly, it would win, which is why Trinamul was using law enforcers against party workers.

“I don’t believe the police arrested him (Rahaman) by choice. The prince of Bengal will hold a rally in Sagardighi on Sunday. Before he arrives, the police wanted to please him,” said Adhir, referring to Trinamul’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

The Congress nominated businessman Bairon Biswas as its bypoll candidate against Trinamul’s Debasish Banerjee, a relative of chief minister Mamata Banerjee. A political analyst said Biswas’s chances were good as he was from the minority community, which forms around 65 per cent of Sagardighi’s voters. The respect Saha commanded among Sagardighi’s Muslims cannot be replicated by Debasish, the analyst added.

CPM supporters joined the Congress in the agitation.

A local court sent Rahaman to police custody till February 23.