Parody posters bearing photos of Darjeeling MP Raju Bista and seeking information on his whereabouts have come up in Siliguri at a time the BJP parliamentarian has been criticised for not being in his constituency during the pandemic.

The posters, with messages such as “Wanted… Raju Bista” and “Khabor din”, were put up at prominent places in the town on Wednesday night, and some of those have been removed by police.

Pravin Agarwal, the Siliguri (organisational) district president of the BJP, has obliquely accused Trinamul of putting up the posters. He has also filed a complaint at Siliguri police station.

“It was a deliberate attempt to insult the MP as the posters were put up at all major locations of the city. A lockdown is on and policemen are posted at the crossings. How could they not catch those who put up the posters? It was only on Wednesday that the district Trinamul president had questioned the MP’s absence from the constituency,” Agarwal said.

Bista, who is in Delhi, said: “People are well aware that I could not make it to my constituency due to the lockdown. I have been doing my best to stand by the people of Darjeeling. Unfortunately, some people are putting up posters and indulging in cheap politics. Even in the midst of a pandemic, they think it’s more important for them to indulge in personal attacks against me.”

District Trinamul chief Ranjan Sarkar said: “We don’t want to politicise the issue and don’t support such acts. But at the same time, we feel that the MP should be present in his constituency at this time.”

Anit Thapa, a leader of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (Binay Tamang faction) and chairman of the board of administrators of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, stood by Bista, saying he was sure the MP was working for his people from Delhi.