Kolkata: Two separate complaints were reportedly filed against TMC’s Nandigram candidate Pabitra Kar. One, lodged at Nandigram PS by Buddhadeb Giri of Krishnanagar village, alleged that on April 6, Kar and three others pressured him to say “Jay Bangla.” When he refused, the group allegedly assaulted him, threatened him against voting for BJP, and took Rs. 3,700 in cash and his wristwatch, issuing further threats. Police have registered a case based on the FIR.
In a related development, the ECI reportedly lodged an FIR against Kar following a complaint from BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari. The complaint, filed Thursday morning, alleged that Kar—a BJP member from Boyal Gram Panchayat—was contesting the Assembly polls on a TMC ticket without resigning from the BJP, a claim made by Adhikari on Wednesday.
“I would like to ask the EC, which law allows an adult citizen of India to be a member of two political parties at the same time?” Adhikari asked on Wednesday. On March 17 this year, Kar joined the TMC and was nominated for the Nandigram Assembly seat on the same day.
Reacting to the FIR, Kar said he was unaware of it and would act only in accordance with the law.