West Bengal polls: 9 people arrested after BJP, TMC workers clash amid campaigning in Kolkata

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 21 : A total of nine people, including five BJP workers and four TMC workers, were arrested after tensions escalated into a clash outside Ekbalpur Police Station in Kolkata on Monday.
As per the Kolkata police, the incident unfolded on Hossain Shah Road during a campaigning programme, triggering a confrontation between supporters of the two rival parties.
According to Kolkata Police, the clash broke out when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters gathered for a meeting led by party candidate Rakesh Singh. During the programme, sloganeering by BJP workers was met with counter-slogans from supporters of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), leading to a heated exchange that soon turned violent.
Police intervened to control the situation and prevent further escalation. Officials confirmed that a total of nine individuals, five from the BJP and four from the TMC, have been taken into custody. "Three FIRs have been registered against different groups in connection with the incident," Kolkata Police said.
Further details are awaited.
The clash comes amid a charged political atmosphere in West Bengal ahead of the Assembly elections, scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting on May 4.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has intensified her attack on the BJP, alleging attempts to disrupt her campaign. She recently claimed that her flight was deliberately delayed and accused the BJP of deploying "cherry-picked" officers to create hurdles for her party.
Banerjee also alleged that the BJP was trying to intimidate workers through false cases and misuse of agencies, while urging voters to remain vigilant during polling and counting.
West Bengal, which has 294 Assembly seats with a majority mark of 148, is witnessing a high-stakes contest between the ruling TMC and the BJP, with both parties ramping up their campaigns in the final stretch before voting.