Kolkata

Tension prevailed in Kandi city in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Friday over infighting between two factions of the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress.

The situation aggravated after the residence of Gurupada Mukhopadhyay, party councilor from Kandi Municipality’s ward number nine, was ransacked by the supporters belonging to a rival faction of the Trinamool Congress.

Mukhopadhyay has claimed that the ransacking was carried out by close associates of Supriyo Ghosh, the husband of Sukanya Dutta who is the party councilor from ward number 4.

While the ransacking was underway, Mukhopadhyay’s supporters also reached the spot, following which there was a severe scuffle and brick-batting between the two rival factions.

A number of supporters from both sides were severely injured, including some who had to be hospitalised.

A huge police contingent reached the spot and tried to persuade the factions to refrain from clashing.

But the police had to resort to lathi charge to bring the situation under control as they refused to listen.

According to information, the rivalry between Mukhopadhyay and Ghosh over the control of authority of some local clubs is quite old.

Mukhopadhyay alleged that the supporters of Ghosh were trying to illegally and forcefully occupy areas and the clashes were a result of the protests against that attempt. On his part, Ghosh claimed that the clashes were a result of provocation by Mukhopadhyay’s supporters. Such leaders are maligning the image of the party from inside, he added.