Two audio clips surfacing on social media have heightened the embarrassment of the Malda district BJP leadership that is desperately trying to bring dissidents, including those contesting as Independents against the party’s official candidates in many seats, into its fold.

In those clippings, two persons, supposedly BJP leader Abhijit Mishra and district party president Gobinda Chandra Mandal, are heard trying to fervently appease two dissident candidates of Manikchak Assembly seat — with cash and promises of a zilla parishad seat nomination, respectively.

The Telegraph has not independently verified the authenticity of any audio clip.

Mishra purportedly is heard offering Dalim Mandal, a dissident contesting from Manikchak, Rs 2 lakh in cash to withdraw and help the official BJP candidate avert defeat.

Mishra denied the voice was his while at the same time claiming there was nothing wrong in pursuing a dissident.

“The audio is doctored. My voice and tone have been imitated. I did not ask anyone to withdraw candidature against money. But even if it is my voice, there is nothing wrong in pursuing a dissident worker to help the official BJP candidate,” he said.

He will not file any complaint with the police in this regard, Mishra clarified.

In the other recording, a person calling himself district BJP president Mandal is heard offering a Bharatiya Jana Sangh-backed Independent candidate Anil Chandra Mandal, also contesting from Manikchak, a nomination in the Zilla Parishad seat in future if he withdraws his nomination.

District BJP president Mandal is purportedly pleading repeatedly with the dissident to sit for a discussion. The dissident is purportedly spurning the appeals.

Mandal, when asked, said he did not recall calling up any particular individual. But he added that he found nothing wrong in calling up a veteran party worker who “is annoyed over some issue” and contesting against the party’s official candidate. “I cannot recall if I had called up any individual in particular. But I have spoken to all those who have expressed their grievances after the BJP candidate list was published. It was my duty to speak to them, understand their feelings and motivate them to work for the BJP, keeping aside their individual issues. A few candidates, who were initially upset, have already withdrawn their (rival) candidatures,” Mandal said.

For the Manikchak seat, the last date for withdrawal of candidature was April 12. Elections will be held in the seat in the final phase, that is, on April 29.

In Manikchak, the BJP has fielded Gour Chandra Mandal, the sabhadhipati of Malda Zilla Parishad, a Trinamul turncoat who joined the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections.

Dalim, one of the dissident candidates, said Gour’s selection left them disappointed.

“We are not against the BJP. But we revolted against Gour’s candidature. We can’t accept him as he used to harass us when he was with Trinamul,” he said.

Gour, however, ignored these dissidents. “They will not be able to create any impact in these elections. The principal contest is between Trinamul and BJP and we will win this seat,” said the Trinamul turncoat.