Days after the BJP’s sweeping victory in West Bengal, tensions flared in South 24 Parganas district after fresh allegations of vandalism and political violence. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning in the Makhaltala area under the Narayanpur Gram Panchayat in the Canning West Assembly constituency. Former Trinamool Congress leader Rahima Laskar, also known as Baby, has been named in connection with the violence.
The clash was in the Canning West Assembly constituency between TMC and BJP workers. Laskar, who allegedly switched to the BJP from TMC following the results, is accused of leading the violence.
According to local sources, Laskar and her supporters, carrying BJP flags, tried to assert control over the gram panchayat following the shifting political landscape. They allegedly targeted houses of TMC workers, carrying out widespread vandalism and creating panic in the area.
The situation escalated further when police reached the spot. Security personnel were attacked and several were injured, and police vehicles were vandalised during the clashes.
A day earlier, police recovered a cache of sharp weapons, including machetes, from the office of Narayanpur Gram Panchayat pradhan Salauddin Sardar, a TMC leader. Locals claimed there had been a long-running feud between Sardar and Laskar, with the latest violence linked to that rivalry amid the changing power dynamics in the state.
Security forces, including central agencies, have since launched a crackdown in the area, detaining at least 20 people, including Rahima Laskar. The situation remains tense, with heavy police deployment and close monitoring to prevent further unrest.
The move comes after TMC’s 15-year rule comes to an end in West Bengal. The Mamata Banerjee-led party won just 80 of the 294 assembly seats, with Banerjee herself handed a defeat.
Two days after the results, West Bengal remains on edge as post-poll violence leaves three dead, with killings reported from Kolkata, Birbhum and North 24 Parganas, and the TMC and BJP trading blame over the incidents.
Allegations of vandalism and arson at several Trinamool Congress (TMC) offices in the Asansol industrial belt and other parts of West Bengal surfaced on Tuesday night, adding to the tense post-poll atmosphere.
Amid the developments, Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya repeatedly appealed for calm, warning that any party worker involved in looting, arson, or violence would face expulsion. He also urged authorities to take strict action against those responsible.
The BJP further expressed concern over an alleged influx of individuals from other parties claiming affiliation with it, asserting that party membership cannot be self-declared and must follow a formal approval process.
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