Factional feuds rock BJP in Malda: Two separate clashes reported within 24 hours

Malda: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Malda has been jolted by two consecutive incidents of factional clashes within 24 hours, exposing simmering rivalries among its grassroots leaders.

The first incident occurred late on Thursday night at Ashrampara in Chanchal Sadar. According to police and local sources, a violent confrontation broke out between the supporters of Prosenjit Sharma, a BJP member of Chanchal Gram Panchayat, and Sumit Sarkar, a local BJP leader and husband of Panchayat member Priyanka Halder Sarkar. Both leaders, long known to be at loggerheads, reportedly exchanged heated words over an old dispute before the quarrel escalated into a full-blown clash. The fight left seven people injured, including the two leaders themselves. Sharma and Sarkar sustained head injuries and were rushed to Chanchal Super Specialty Hospital, where they remain under treatment. The other five, taken into custody at the spot, were produced before the Chanchal Sub-Divisional Court on Friday. Police sources confirmed that a detailed investigation has been initiated.

“The Ashrampara locality resembled a battlefield last night,” said a resident, describing the tense situation that prompted immediate police intervention. A senior officer at Chanchal Police Station noted: “We acted swiftly to prevent the situation from spiraling further. The matter is now under investigation.”

Earlier the same day, another clash erupted at the South Chandipur Gram Panchayat office in Manikchak, where the BJP holds control. The meeting, intended to pass a resolution on Rs 30 lakh allocated for flood relief after a devastating embankment breach in Bhutni, soon devolved into chaos. Members accused each other of irregularities in spending, leading to arguments that spiraled into physical confrontations.

The scuffle left two BJP women Panchayat members injured, both of whom filed counter-allegations of assault at Bhutni Police Station.

The incident drew strong criticism from the ruling Trinamool Congress. Manikchak MLA Sabitri Mitra accused the BJP of corruption and infighting, saying: “This feud is over sharing flood relief money. The BJP cannot even manage its own party members, let alone the people’s interests.”

However, BJP leaders sought to downplay the turmoil. South Malda district general secretary Gour Chandra Mondal said: “It was a misunderstanding among our members. We will resolve it internally

through discussions.”

The two episodes, occurring within hours of each other, have raised serious questions about organisational unity in the Malda BJP, threatening to overshadow the party’s upcoming grassroots campaigns.