Kolkata, Nov. 7 -- A midnight "recce", an alleged attack at 2 am, a birthday celebration disrupted before the cake could be cut, and a political confrontation that has moved from the lanes of Kalighat to the corridors of Delhi.

The alleged attack on Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee's residence has triggered a sharp face-off between the TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, drawing reactions from Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), with the row unfolding on the eve of Kali Puja and Diwali.

It began on Friday, when Abhishek Banerjee alleged that unidentified persons had been conducting reconnaissance of his office and residence for two days. "When confronted, they claimed to...