Protests in the BJP in Kaliaganj of North Dinajpur district over Soumen Roy’s candidature took a significant turn on Saturday with angry workers and supporters of the saffron party starting an “indefinite hunger-strike” in Sukanta More, a prominent crossing of the town, demanding Roy be replaced.

“He is an outsider to Kaliaganj and questions have been raised about his personal image time and again, even by his wife. We do not want such a person as candidate here in Kaliaganj. District and state leaders should realise that if such a person is fielded, it would make the contest tough for us,” said a BJP worker.

Roy’s estranged wife Sarbari Sinha Roy, who stays in Falakata of Alipurduar district, had a few days back filed a complaint against her husband, accusing him of threatening her.

According to party sources, Sarbari who stays with their daughter — the couple’s divorce case is pending in court — had put up certain posts on social media questioning her husband’s character after his name was announced as the BJP candidate.

“Then, on Wednesday, she filed the complaint at Falakata police station, saying Soumen Roy had sent his two aides to her and had asked her to upload fresh posts to nullify the charges and apologise for her earlier posts. As she refused, they warned her of dire consequences and said her daughter might be abducted,” said a party insider.

District BJP leaders are red-faced.

“We will speak with party supporters who have launched the hunger-strike. Such activities will affect the party’s image ahead of polls. We have told everything about Roy and the situation to the state leadership,” said a district leader.

Roy brushed aside the charges levelled by his wife. “They are baseless. Our divorce case is pending in court. I plan to start my poll campaign from Sunday,” he said.

Roy’s candidature had angered BJP supporters in Kaliaganj to the extent that they had blocked roads to deny him and his supporters entry earlier this week.