In a shocking incident Friday, the Trinamool Congress MLA from Bhangar in South 24 Parganas, Arabul Islam, set the party office on fire after he was denied a ticket.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared candidates for 291 of the 294 assembly seats in West Bengal Friday. Islam has been denied the opportunity to contest on the Trinamool Congress ticket.
He was also the MLA from Bhangar in 2006-11.
Before setting the party office on fire, Islam and his supporters ransacked the premises and damaged vehicles parked on the premises.
The voting in West Bengal is spread over eight phases, starting March 27. The counting of votes will start on May 2.
Mamata’s party is facing huge anti-incumbency. To overcome it, the chief minister has decided to drop many sitting MLAs.
The TMC came to power in 2011, ending the decades-long rule of the Left in the state. The party again captured power, winning 211 of the 294 seats.
But the chief minister has been unable to rein-in her party workers, resulting in massive political violence in the state.
It is alleged that because of the perpetrators’ political affiliations, the police hardly take any action.
