Six BJP candidates contesting Lok Sabha elections in Basirhat, Berhampore, Joynagar, Mathurapur, Jhargram and Raiganj constituencies respectively are likely to get central security cover within a few days amidst the ongoing seven-phase LS polls in the state.
The six candidates nominated by the saffron party are Rekha Patra (Berhampore), Nirmal Saha (Berhampore), Ashoke Bhandari (Joynagar), Ashoke Purkayet (Mathurapur), Pranat Tudu (Jhargram) and Kartik Pal (Raiganj).
On Tuesday, Mrs Patra along with her party workers, reached Kharibhanga in Basirhat seeking votes from local residents during a door-to-door campaign. A group of women voters staged agitation, shouting slogans ‘go back BJP’ in the area. The agitating women also allegedly chased the BJP candidate asking her to leave the spot.
Sources in the saffron camp said, considering their security threat, the six candidates are likely to be given Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel each, round-the-clock, till the results of the general election are released on 4 June.
All of them will be provided X category security cover, sources said.
Mrs Patra, a homemaker from Sandeshkhali had led the women to protest against reign of terror, including atrocities on women unleashed allegedly by Trinamul Congress strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates in different villages of the trouble-hit island in North 24-Parganas district.
On 5 January, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials probing the ration distribution scam in the state, along with central security personnel were attacked by an irate mob.
Shahjahan was arrested by police on 29 February as the pressure mounted on the police to nab him.
The ED officials had gone to the Akunjipara residence of Shahjahan in the Sandeshkhali area to explore his alleged involvement in the scam. He had allegedly masterminded the attack on the ED officials and security personnel.