Factional feud within the ruling Trinamul Congress has surfaced after the removal of the panchayat Samity sabhapati of Kaliachak-III with alleged help from the opposition BJP members.

The matter today took a turn with the recovery of weapons from a car owned by a local TMC leader, which was parked in front of the Panchayat Samiti office. The TMC and the BJP have started blaming each other, while the police said they have started investigations.

The MLA of Baishnabnagar, Chandana Sarkar, accused the TMC block president, Durgesh Sarkar, of hatching a conspiracy to remove the Sabhapati with the help of BJP members.

The BJP, however, refuted the charges. It may be noted here that among the 32 seats of the PS, 17 was bagged by the TMC, 10 by the BJP, two by the Congress, one by the CPIM and two by independent candidates in the 2018 panchayat elections.

Sahanara Khatun had been made the sabhapati then, but recently some TMC members brought in a no-confidence motion against her and eventually removed her. It is alleged that BJP members of the PS helped TMC members in this.

Ms Sarkar, who also took out a rally against the matter alleged, “TMC has been fighting against the BJP in the whole state and at this point, a TMC Sabhapati is being removed by other members of her own party by taking help from BJP members, while the entire matter is being instigated by the TMC block president.”

MLA, Mr Sarkar, on the other hand, said, “All the BJP members joined the Trinamul Congress in 2018 at the initiation of the then district president of the party, Moazzem Hossain, and there’s no opposition in the Samity now.”

On the other hand, a firearm and almost fifty sharp weapons were recovered from the car owned by Tarun Ghosh, a local TMC leader and the husband of Nirupama Mandal, a TMC member of the Akandaberia gram panchayat in Kaliachak-III.

The accused person is absconding. Further, 15 crude bombs were recovered by the Baishnabnagar police this afternoon from Jainpur area in Kumbhira GP. BJP district president Gobinda Mandal said, “Factional feud has made the TMC party rugged, and if anywhere BJP members are needed to remove some corrupt politician, then we will make a decision of our own. It is the clash between factions and it was for this reason such weapons were being carried.”

District TMC president, Abdur Rahim Boxi, said the two leaders, MLA and block president must talk face to face. “If anyone is found guilty, action will be taken against that person,” said Mr Boxi.