The induction of a businessman, who is facing charges of coal smuggling, into the BJP triggered a clash with old-timers in the party attacking his followers to prevent their entry into the venue and the saffron camp in Durgapur on Monday.

BJP’s Yogdan Mela (induction rally), which was attended by state chief Dilip Ghosh and MP Arjun Singh, in Durgapur was preceded by clashes and vandalism even before the leaders arrived for the event.

As supporters of the alleged coal kingpin Rajesh Jha, alias Raju, who took the party flag from Ghosh, arrived at the rally site with placards and raised slogans in the name of their leader, they were attacked by BJP old-timers with chairs hired for the meeting and whatever they could lay their hands on. They refused to allow them to enter the venue and a clash broke out.

The BJP supporters also threw away tables and ransacked the dais in an attempt to disrupt the event.

The programme was delayed because of the clash and district president of the BJP’s West Burdwan unit, Lakshman Ghorui, had to rush to the spot to pacify angry party workers.

Asked about Raju’s induction and charges of coal smuggling against him, Ghorui said: “This is a coal belt and one may have business linked to coal. This does not mean all are smugglers.”

A senior police officer of Durgapur said Jha used to run organised coal smuggling during the Left regime. “He had fled to Malaysia and Singapore to evade arrest after the change of power in Bengal in 2011,” the police officer said.

Jha was arrested within a month of Mamata Banerjee becoming the chief minister and sent to jail. Later, he was granted bail but was arrested after the 2016 Assembly polls on charges of transporting fake currencies and unauthorised firearms. Jha to declined comment.

Saumitra wife in TMC

Sujata Mondal, the wife of the chief of the state unit of BJP’s youth wing and MP Saumitra Khan, joined the Trinamul Congress on Monday.

Mondal said in spite of “shedding blood for the BJP” she wasn’t getting any respect and hence, decided to switch over to Trinamul.

Khan held a press conference to announce that he had sent a legal notice to divorce his wife for switching over to Trinamul.