Sukanta Majumdar, the Bengal BJP president, held a public meeting in Jalpaiguri on Saturday by blocking a prominent thoroughfare for over an hour.

Trinamul termed the meeting illegal and alleged that Majumdar had resorted to such a move to provoke Jalpaiguri residents.

On Saturday afternoon, BJP leaders, led by Majumdar, took out a rally from a club ground in Netajipara. The rally reached the district BJP office on DBC Road which runs through the heart of the town.

Around 4pm, BJP workers mounted a makeshift dais on the road. Majumdar, along with MP Jayanta Roy, district BJP president Bapi Goswami and others, stepped on the dais and delivered speeches, halting traffic.

Hundreds took detours during the evening rush hour.

Majumdar launched a scathing attack against Trinamul's "corruption".

“In north Bengal, even Jalpaiguri, several (Trinamul) leaders are involved in corruption. They are no less than Sheikh Shahjahan (of Sandeshkhali). We have their dossiers...,” he said.

After an hour, the meeting ended. It took another 20 minutes for traffic to resume as the dais was shifted.

“How can the state president of a political party block the road and hold a meeting without having any permission from the police? It is illegal.... Their idea was to provoke people puzzled at the sudden closure of the road,” said district Trinamul president Mahua Gope. “If any problem had erupted, BJP leaders would have shouted at the top of their voices, questioning Jappaiguri's law and order. It is good residents didn’t fall into this trap."

Trinamul leaders also asked why the police allowed the meeting without permission. Majumdar had even thanked the police in his speech.

Senior cops refused to elaborate on it. “We had personnel posted in appropriate locations to maintain law and order,” said an officer.