KOLKATA: Trinamool’s internal conflict on the first day of the ruling party’s new outreach drive Banglar Gorbo Mamata (Bengal’s Pride Mamata) surfaced after five members of election strategist Prashant Kishor’s team I-PAC were surrounded by TMC workers.
In three other places, factions of the TMC got involved in altercations over the list of invitees.
In Asansol’s Jamuria, the scuffle happened when the I-PAC team members were overseeing the work of pasting stickers of the initiative on the vehicles of the workers.
“A group of Trinamool supporters surrounded the team and sought an explanation why a section of leaders was not invited in the programme o outreach drive,” said a Trinamool leader in West Burdwan district.
In the second case of altercations in South 24-Parganas’ Canning town, a group of 200 odd TMC supporters put up a roadblock and staged a demonstration against local MLA Shyamal Mondal accusing him of inviting his followers only in the programme. Mondal, however, said the allegation was baseless.
“Those who are raising this allegation are involved in anti-party activities. They tarnished the image of the party,” he said.
At Bhangar in South 24-Parganas, followers of former MLA Arabul Islam skipped the programme convened by sitting legislator Rezzak Mollah.
"I invited Islam and others. But why they did not turn up I don’t know,’’ said Mollah.