Tensions flared during a roadshow led by actor-turned-BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty in West Bengal’s Midnapore town, as clashes broke out and stones were hurled by unidentified individuals, police reported on Wednesday.
Midnapore Lok Sabha seat’s BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul accused Trinamool Congress or TMC workers of instigating the violence, alleging that they threw glass bottles and stones at the procession. However, the ruling party in the State refuted these claims.
Fortunately, both Mithun Chakraborty and Agnimitra Paul emerged unharmed from the incident.
The roadshow, which commenced at Collectorate More and was en route to Keranitola, saw a large turnout of BJP supporters chanting slogans, while Mithun Chakraborty, accompanied by Agnimitra Paul, greeted crowds from a vehicle.
However, the atmosphere turned volatile as the procession approached Shekhpura More, with individuals on the roadside launching stones and bottles at the gathering. In response, BJP workers retaliated, leading to a clash that was swiftly contained by law enforcement.
Agnimitra Paul condemned the incident, attributing it to the TMC’s apprehension over the growing support for the BJP. She accused participants of a TMC street-corner meeting of instigating the violence, denouncing their actions as “despicable.”
TMC spokesperson Trinankur Bhattacharya refuted the allegations, stating, “We don’t believe in such unruly acts. The BJP itself is staging the drama as the roadshow was a flop.”
