West Bengal Election
BJP workers protest outside party's election office in Kolkata over Bengal poll tickets
Kolkata/IBNS: The police on Tuesday used batons to disperse the protesters outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s election office in Kolkata as demonstrators resorted to stone-pelting after being upset with the party's choice of fielding candidates for some seats.
Visuals in television footage showed police had to lathi-charge at the protesters outside the party office as the agitators allegedly targeted a BJP leader as he emerged out from the Hastings office.
At least eight people have been detained for stone-throwing while a cop received minor injury.
BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya however said the protesters cannot be party workers.
"It is impossible BJP workers turned violent. This is some kind of conspiracy," he said during a press briefing.
According to reports, the protesters present at the spot on Tuesday were BJP workers from Diamond Harbour seat where the saffron party fielded former Trinamool MLA Dipak Haldar.
Haldar joined BJP just weeks ago. Protesters also came in from Joynagar, Kultali, South Habra and Udaynarayanpur.
The BJP has declared its candidates' list for the first four phases and names of its candidates for the last four phases are yet to be announced.
Dramatic visuals from outside the BJP's election office at Hastings showed hundreds of people trying to damage the iron barricades in a bid to force their way into the building.
A large police contingent was deployed at the spot to control the situation. Several BJP offices in the districts were ransacked, said reports.
Bengal will vote in eight rounds starting March 27 and the results will be declared on May 2.
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