State BJP president Dilip Ghosh today said the new emerging political equation between the Trinamul Congress and the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha was the main reason behind attacks on his convoy in Jaigaon in Alipurduar district yesterday.
Talking to a private TV channel, Mr Ghosh said: “I was attacked several times. But yesterday’s attack on me was unexpected. A new political equation is behind the attacks. It was planned by the TMC and the GJMM with the help of police.”
According to him, the “joint attack” was launched in the presence of the police. “Had the police wanted to prevent them from attacking, they could have stopped them. But the police did not do that,” he said.
“In fact, preparations are going on for another Morcha leader to be settled down in the Dooars area as per the recent deal with the TMC. It has been decided that one GJMM leader would control the Hills and another will be staying in the Dooars,” Mr Ghosh said, adding, “After the deal, huge money has been circulated in the Dooars region, including the tea belt. New party offices are also being set up, creating violence in the Dooars and panic among commoners. A group of youngsters was encouraged to lanch an attacked on us.”
He was referring to the two factions of the Morcha, one led by Bimal Gurung and the other by Binoy Tamang. While Mr Gurung has announced departure from the BJP and joining of hands with the TMC, the Tamang camp has been staging protests against Mr Gurung’s possible return to the Hills and saying that peace in the region should remain intact.
He, however, added that frequent such attacks on him had yielded positive response from the common people. “They have started criticizing the Trinamul Congress now,” the state BJP president claimed. On the other hand, the Gurung camp of the Morcha has denied it had a hand in yesterday’s incident in Jaigaon where Mr Ghosh was attacked.
“We, the Morcha, will never oppose other parties’ democratic rights. We believe in the Gandhian philosophy,” said Dooars Yuva Morcha Spokesperson Raj Chettri.