TMC-BJP workers clash while filing nomination in Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar: Commotion erupted on Thursday outside the Sadar Sub-Divisional Officer’s (SDO) office in Cooch Behar as candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) arrived to file their nominations for the upcoming Assembly elections. A scuffle broke out after supporters of both parties converged at the same location, triggering tension in the area.
A large contingent of police and central security forces was deployed at the spot and eventually intervened to bring the situation under control. Amid the chaos, Trinamool Congress candidate Abhijit De Bhowmik staged a sit-in protest at the entrance of the SDO office. Despite the disruption, candidates from both parties later succeeded in filing their nomination papers.
The incident has sparked a blame game between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, with both sides questioning how their processions ended up crossing paths despite prior arrangements. According to sources, authorities had designated separate entry routes to prevent any confrontation. The Trinamool Congress was scheduled to approach from the northern side, via Kachari More, while the BJP was to enter from the southern side, through Sagar Dighi and Shaheed Bagh.
Following the plan, Trinamool candidate Partha Pratim Roy, contesting from the Cooch Behar North Constituency, arrived first with a procession and gathered supporters near Kachari More.
BJP candidates Sukumar Roy (Cooch Behar North) and Rathindra Bose (Cooch Behar South) later entered from the southern side with their supporters stationed near Shaheed Bagh.
Tension escalated when TMC candidate Abhijit De Bhowmik, contesting from Cooch Behar South, arrived with his procession reportedly through the same southern route. As he entered the premises to submit his nomination, clashes broke out between supporters of both parties, leading to a brief but intense confrontation.
BJP candidate Rathindra Bose alleged lapses in security, questioning how the Trinamool procession was allowed to enter through a route already occupied by BJP workers.
He accused the ruling party of deliberately creating unrest, expressing confidence in a BJP victory. Countering the allegation, TMC candidate Abhijit De Bhowmik alleged collusion between the BJP, police, and the Election Commission to engineer disturbances in certain areas.
He, however, asserted that such tactics would not affect the party’s prospects, expressing confidence that the Trinamool Congress would secure all nine seats in the region.
