BJP workers allegedly shoot party leader in Cooch Behar

DARJEELING: At a time when the front-rung BJP leaders, including the observer for West Bengal, are on a tour of the region, the BJP's infighting has come to the fore with a shootout.

A BJP leader was shot at Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar. Though he had a narrow escape he has lodged an FIR against two party workers.

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, affiliated to the RSS organised a meeting at Korpatabazar in Mathabhanga on Sunday. A difference had cropped up between the two factions over the meeting. After the meeting was over when Manik Talukdar, State Vice-President, BMS was returning home, shots were fired at him. However, the assailants missed.

Talkukdar later filed an FIR against one Manab Sarkar and Mithun Vaishya. The two BJP supporters are absconding. Talukdar has alleged that the two had hatched a plan to murder him. He has demanded the immediate arrest of the assailants. The police are investigating and have launched a manhunt for the absconding duo.

Incidentally, the shootout comes at a time when Sunil Bansal, the BJP Central Observer for West Bengal is on a tour of the North Bengal districts as a run-up to the Panchayat elections in the state.