A Trinamul MLA and the supporters of another party MLA in North Dinajpur appear to be furious with the district party chief in what appears to be yet another instance of infighting in Bengal’s ruling party that has deepened after the recent panchayat elections.

Leaders and party workers based in Chopra block have demanded the immediate resignation of Kanaialal Agarwala, the district Trinamul president, for his alleged silence over the assault of Chopra MLA Hamidul Rehman by state police and central forces.

Abdul Karim Choudhury, a veteran party leader and the MLA of Islampur, has accused a section of Trinamul leaders in Islampur of attacking his followers who contested in the rural polls as rebel Independents. MLA Rehman’s daughter Arjuna Begum was one of the Independents that Choudhury had fielded.

“For the first time, I am abstaining from tomorrow’s meeting (Trinamul’s Martyrs’ Day rally, held annually on July 21) in Calcutta,” said Islampur MLA Choudhury. “This is because many candidates whom I fielded as Independents faced attacks orchestrated by some block Trinamul leaders.”

“The district president (Agarwala) is virtually backing these people. There is fear that if I go to Calcutta, such attacks will increase,” Choudhury added.

After the rural polls were announced, Choudhury didn’t accept the candidate list sent by Trinamul’s state leadership. Instead, he fielded his own candidates as Independents. Some of them won. However, Arjuna lost to Trinamul’s official candidate.

“These days, (Trinamul supremo and Bengal chief minister) Mamata Banerjee is running the party in the district with people who resort to unprovoked attacks on Trinamul supporters,” Choudhury claimed. “A number of houses (of Trinamul supporters) were ransacked and people were beaten up. I informed state party leaders but there has been no change. That is why I will stand by them instead of going to Calcutta on July 21,” Choudhury added.

Party workers in Chopra are fuming against Agarwala for not reacting after MLA Rehman was assaulted in the small hours of July 12. Rehman and his aides tried to enter a counting centre in Islampur which made the on-duty police and central forces charge at them with batons. The MLA suffered serious injuries.

On Wednesday afternoon, Trinamul supporters took out a rally in Chopra where they burnt Agarwala’s effigy and demanded his resignation.

“The district president didn’t do anything (to back Rehman). We want him to step down. After the Martyrs’ Day meeting in Calcutta, we will intensify our protests,” said a Trinamul leader in Chopra.

Contacted, Agarwala was brief in his reaction.

“Abdul Karim Choudhury is known for contradicting his statements. People know about it. We are aware of the (Chopra) MLA’s incident and will approach the police and the state leaders,” he said.