Bikash Ranjan Sarkar, a former Trinamul Congress leader who is contesting from ward 24 of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation as an Independent, was detained at Siliguri police station on Wednesday.

Sarkar was detained when he went to the police station and resorted to a sit-in, alleging his banners, festoons and other publicity materials had been damaged by miscreants in his ward.

“I have been in politics for more than 36 years. I am contesting the polls as people of my ward want to see me as an elected representative at the civic body. Such illegal activities like tearing down my publicity materials will not deter me from contesting the elections,” said the candidate.

A couple of days back, Sarkar, who was a state general secretary of Trinamul’s youth wing, was expelled from the party for six years.

In ward 24, Trinamul has fielded veteran Pratul Chakraborty. Sarkar also filed a complaint with the police. “A section of leaders in the ruling party is instigating miscreants to indulge in illegal activities as they are apprehensive of losing the seat. I want to make it clear I still believe in the ideologies of Mamata Banerjee and have worked with Abhishek Banerjee for years. Such things will do no good to the party,” he said.