Two incidents of internal conflict on Thursday rocked the Bengal BJP camp as factions within the party clashed with each other in Bardhaman and Asansol in front of the senior leadership.
Violence broke out at the BJP Purba Bardhaman district party office when a meeting of the party was in progress, the police said. Members of two groups threw stones at each other and torched vehicles which were parked near the premises.
Reportedly, it was a fallout of the bickering between the old and new members of the BJP. During the meeting, members of one group came out of the office, which was recently inaugurated by BJP president JP Nadda virtually, and set two mini trucks on fire.
Similar incidents were reported from Asansol as well where a group of the party protested in front of local MP and Union Minister Babul Supriyo.
Claiming to be old cadres and workers of the saffron party, they alleged that the new inductees were given more prominence than them and demanded a change.
“Everybody present at the meeting wanted to speak and an argument began between the two groups which initially stalled the proceedings. However, none of the workers left the place and the programme continued,” PTI quoted Supriyo as saying.
Senior BJP leader Samik Bhattacharya said that the Hindutva brigade will make an enquiry into the violence of Purba Bardhaman and confirmed that the undisciplined act would not be tolerated.
“Those joining the party should understand that no act of indiscipline will be tolerated,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders alleged that the ruling TMC was behind the incident, while the ruling party in the state denied the charge.
Denying the allegation, TMC Purba Bardhaman district president Swapan Debnath said two factions of the BJP -old and new- were fighting against each other over the issue of getting prominence in the saffron party.
