BJP and Congress clash over defected BJP minister in Tripura

Agartala: The situation was tense in parts of the state capital after workers of ruling BJP and Opposition Congress came to blows Saturday evening.

Prohibitory orders were clamped with streets seeing heavy security forces after fight broke out at Banamalipur, the assembly constituency of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, according to The Indian Express.

The restrictions, began with enforcing section 144 of CrPC from Saturday, would continue till 5 am this morning.

The clash started at Kamar Pukur Par area where a Congress programme was underway to welcome former minister Sudip Roy Barman who defected BJP to join Congress. Barman reportedly got injured in the brawl.

"They have no right to wear this uniform. They should wear bangles and jewellery instead", Barman said accusing police of inaction.

State Congress president Birajit Sinha said that opposition political parties were not allowed to hold programmes in Tripura.

Subsequently, in the fights that broke out a BJP office got allegedly damaged. BJP Spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya confirmed the attacked on " our mandal office', adding that, " many of our supports sustained assaults". However, Bhattacharya said the incident stemmed from factional feud within congress and was blamed on the BJP, according to the report.

Afterwards the clash, both parties held rallies protesting as well as demanding action.

Neither of the parties has reportedly complained the police; however, the police initiated probe into the clash, according to the report.