Murmurs of discontent over new BJP inductees among old-timers in Malda punctured the celebratory mood in the saffron camp a day after the party brought in a number of Trinamul leaders, including Gour Chandra Mondal, the sabhadhipati of Malda zilla parishad, on board.

Even as BJP state leaders were busy chest thumping, some local leaders and workers of the BJP were heard questioning why these Trinamul leaders, who had been at odds with the party and had even resorted to malpractices to defeat BJP candidates in earlier elections, were brought into the party.

Among those vocal on the issue include Anil Mondal, a BJP leader of Manikchak of the district.

According to party insiders, back in 2018, Anil, who had contested from a Zilla Parishad seat against Gour, had accused the Trinamul leader of unethical activities during the rural polls.

“He had manipulated the counting. I had moved to the Calcutta High Court, challenging his unlawful victory. Our party leader Mukul Roy had assured me to provide all sorts of support to continue fighting against Gour. Now, he has been brought to the party. Since 2018, Gour filed at least five false complaints with the police against me and tormented around 1,000-odd BJP workers of Manikchak in some way or the other,” a disgruntled Anil said on Tuesday.

Such blatant remarks by him has left the district BJP leader flummoxed. While some of them admitted Anil’s grudge is genuine, others said that they would resolve the issue soon.

“Anil Mandal is a BJP veteran and had moved court after the 2018 panchayat polls to file a case against Gour Chandra. But the situation has changed now. We would request him to reconcile for the interest of the party,” said Gobinda Chandra Mondal, the district BJP president of Malda.

Anil, however, is not ready to budge and has said that if Gour is fielded as the BJP candidate from Manikchak Assembly seat, he will stand as an Independent.

It is believed that as Trinamul did not choose sabhadhipati Gour as its candidate, he joined the BJP.

Gour, when told about Anil’s remarks, was diplomatic. “Anil Mondal is a good human being. I will speak to him once I reach Malda on Wednesday,” said Gour.

While the BJP is busy addressing grievances fomenting within the rank and file of the party, Trinamul has taken the task to control the damage.

On Monday, Sarala Murmu who had received a ticket from Trinamul, and 14 members of the Trinamul-run Zilla Parishad of Malda, led by Sabhadhipati Gour Chandra Mondal, joined BJP. They were accompanied by many office bearers of Trinamul and its frontal organisations of Malda.

“The sudden defection of so many members has naturally disappointed many of us. But it is now clear that BJP resorted to money politics to break Trinamul. However, many of those zilla parishad members, who were misled into joining the BJP, are likely to return to Trinamul,” said Mausam Noor, district Trinamul chief of Malda.