A senior BJP district-level leader in North Dinajpur accused Raiganj MP and Union minister of state Debasree Chaudhuri and some party leaders of dangling a ticket to “wheedle” him into spending around Rs 28 lakh for socio-political work and then ultimately denying him a nomination.

“Since last Durga Puja, I have spent Rs 28 lakh for social work and political activities taken up by the BJP. I was promised the ticket for Raiganj, but was betrayed. I suspect the local MP (Chaudhuri) and some leaders did it (nominated someone else) for money. I will contest as an Independent,” said Madan Biswas, vice-president of BJP’s OBC Morcha in North Dinajpur and a furniture trader.

Biswas lamenting over his “investment” that did not pay off is the first district-level leader to come up with a serious allegation like this, said a BJP insider in the region.

Kamal Rajbanshi Telegraph picture

A party leader added that Biswas was confident that the BJP would field him from Raiganj but the ticket went to Trinamul turncoat Krishna Kalyani. “This angered him tremendously,” he said.

Biswajit Lahiri, district BJP chief, however, said Biswas spent money for the party like many other affluent party members. “It is nothing new. Whoever among us can afford to make such expenses contributes to the party. He did it and earned mileage as the publicity materials he paid for had his name as a courtesy. But none from the BJP promised him a ticket. His allegation of corruption (over fielding Kalyani) is baseless,” said Lahiri.

MP and Union minister of state Chaudhuri also denied Biswas’s charges. “We have never made any such promises to him. He went on printing publicity materials with his photograph and name…. We alerted him to abstain from these and instead campaign for the party. It is unfortunate that he is raising such baseless charges now,” she said.

Another BJP worker Kamal Rajbanshi is relieved that he did not get a ticket.

Kamal, the caretaker-cum-night guard of the district BJP office here, had aspired to contest the elections and had filed an application like hundreds of others. He confessed he was disappointed initially when his party did not pick him, but the violence that erupted in the area over the list made him realise it was good for his peace of mind that he stayed a “common BJP worker”.

Malda protests

Trinamul and BJP supporters demonstrated in Malda on Saturday as well, demanding nominees be replaced. Demonstrators of both camps protested in front of district offices in Malda town and on NH12. Police had to clear the blockades.

Trinamul supporters, sources said, wanted Pradeep Baskey, fielded from Habibpur after original candidate Sarala Murmu defected to the BJP, be changed. Baskey has recently joined Trinamul from the BJP, and protesters want an old-timer as candidate.

BJP supporters demanded Joyel Murmu, the MLA of Habibpur seat, and Sreerupa Mitra Choudhury, the BJP candidate of Englishbazar, be replaced.

District leaders of both parties have made it clear that there will be no change.

Additional reporting by Soumya De Sarkar in Malda