Trinamool, BJP try to capture party offices in Bengal

Kolkata: With West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress and emerging opposition BJP intensifying their fight ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, capturing and recapturing each other's party offices have become a regular occurrence.

Supporters of the BJP's Coochbehar candidate Nisith Pramanik, who recently switched to the saffron party from the Trinamool, have allegedly recaptured a "Trinamool-acquired party office" at Bamanhat market in Coochbehar district.

"My association with Trinamool was a sin. The BJP is like the holy Ganges. Our supporters clean the party office with water from the holy river," he said after taking over the office.

BJP supporters alleged that the party office was "built by the party but Trinamool Congress acquired it ahead of last year's panchayat elections".

Taking a jibe at Pramanik, Trinamool district President Rabindranath Ghosh accused him of being a turncoat.

Activists of another former Trinamool leader, Arjun Singh, who has been nominated by the BJP from Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency, have also painted a Trinamool office on Ghosh Para Road in saffron colour in North 24 Parganas. Singh says the office was built by him.

Later, Trinamool Congress "recaptured" the office.