Kolkata, Oct. 19 -- Political parties traded blame over the Chor Bagan Durga Puja stampede that killed 19 people, even as Ritabrata Banerjee, the rebel Trinamool Congress leader who now heads the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, said this was not the time for politics.

Banerjee, who leads the breakaway "New TMC" bloc, said it was not the moment for accusations and counter-accusations, according to a report by Gallinews.

His comment came as the ruling BJP and the Trinamool Congress's official leadership clashed over who was responsible for Saturday's crush at the north Kolkata pandal.

The stampede took place around 7:40 pm on Saptami, when sudden rain sent crowds into the pandal's narrow approach and exit just as others tried to ...