Malda, March 20 -- Tension gripped Baishnabnagar in Malda district after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and supporters staged a protest in front of the party office, demanding the replacement of the declared candidate. The agitators raised slogans against the selection of an "outsider" and burned tyres as a mark of dissent.
The protest erupted following the announcement of Raju Karmakar as the BJP candidate from the Baishnabnagar Assembly Constituency. Local party workers alleged that Karmakar is neither a resident of the constituency nor actively associated with the party's grassroots organisation in the area.
According to sources, the demonstration was led by disgruntled party workers who claimed that several names of local leaders had been recommended for candidature but were ignored. The protesters further alleged that the ticket was distributed in exchange for money, a claim that could not be independently verified.
Apurba Mandal, a BJP worker from Baishnabnagar, expressed strong dissatisfaction over the decision. "He is not from our block. He belongs to another area. This is a winnable seat for us, and we are confident of victory," Mandal said. "If a candidate has to be chosen, it should be from among the local leaders whose names were sent by the organisation. We are ready to accept any one of them, but not an outsider."
He further warned that the imposition of a non-local candidate could weaken the party's prospects. "We do not want an outsider to contest from here. It is putting our strong position at risk. If the candidate is not changed, we will be forced to launch a larger movement," he added.
Another local leader echoed similar sentiments, stating that the party's decision has hurt the morale of grassroots workers. Protesters also questioned the organisational credentials of the candidate, alleging that he lacks even basic involvement in local party activities.
The situation remains tense as party workers have threatened to intensify their agitation, including indefinite hunger strikes, if their demands are not met. Party leadership is yet to issue an official response to the controversy.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.