Kolkata, May 10 (IANS) Police have arrested Trinamool Congress councillor Bhishmadev Karmakar in Berhampore of Murshidabad district in West Bengal in connection with allegations that he obstructed Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s Assembly election campaign.

A senior officer of the Murshidabad Police district said on Sunday that the arrest was made based on a complaint lodged during the election campaign period.

Bhishmadev Karmakar, councillor of Ward No. 19 in Berhampore municipality, was arrested by Berhampore police on Saturday night.

He is also the youth Trinamool Congress president of the Murshidabad organisational district.

On April 4, when campaigning for the Assembly elections was at its peak in the state, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had campaigned as a Congress candidate in the Baharampur Assembly constituency.

The Trinamool councillor was accused of obstructing Chowdhury’s rally, during which “Go back” slogans were also allegedly raised against the Congress leader.

The situation subsequently turned tense, prompting police intervention to prevent further escalation.

During the campaign, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had accused the Trinamool Congress of deliberately attempting to obstruct his electioneering activities.

A written complaint was later lodged at Berhampore police station in connection with the incident.

However, Bhishmadev Karmakar had denied the allegations and claimed that Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was attempting to create unrest in the area by bringing in outsiders. He had also claimed that local residents spontaneously protested against the Congress leader.

Following Karmakar’s arrest, allegations of political vendetta surfaced from sections of the Trinamool Congress.

Party supporters and local leaders alleged that Trinamool workers and leaders across the state were being targeted for political reasons.

They also alleged that the arrest was made after the BJP government came to power in the state.

However, police denied the allegations and maintained that action was taken based on specific complaints linked to the April 4 incident.

Police sources said legal action had been initiated strictly in accordance with procedure.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a five-time MP from Baharampur, had lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to Trinamool Congress candidate and former India cricketer Yusuf Pathan.

The Congress later fielded him from the same constituency in the 2026 Assembly elections, where he was again defeated.

–IANS

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