In West Bengal, a female panchayat chief was reportedly attacked, stripped of her clothes, and had ink smeared on her face during a clash between two factions of the Trinamool Congress at a panchayat meeting. The incident occurred at the Chhangual panchayat, led by Trinamool, in Kharagpur block II.
A video capturing the TMC internal conflict has circulated widely, drawing criticism from the opposition BJP in anticipation of the upcoming crucial Assembly elections. The clash arose from a disagreement over the distribution of development projects in various areas within the panchayat.
The dispute escalated when Sujata De, a member of the gram panchayat, objected to the exclusion of a guard wall construction project in her region. This led to a heated confrontation between the two factions, culminating in Sujata and her Trinamool supporters allegedly assaulting Deepali Singh, the panchayat chief.
Subsequently, followers of both leaders engaged in a physical altercation within the office, prompting Sujata to lock the panchayat office. Law enforcement and the joint Block Development Officer of Kharagpur Block No. 2 intervened to restore order amidst the tension.
Deepali, emotionally recounting the ordeal to the media, appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for protection, asserting her innocence and possession of evidence. In contrast, Sujata refuted the accusations, claiming she sought resolution for the work dispute and locked the office until a consensus was reached.
The opposition has condemned the incident as a manifestation of internal strife within the Trinamool party. The situation remains fluid, with both sides presenting conflicting narratives and seeking resolution.