Panchayat election tickets being sold in Bankura for lakhs of rupees! TMC supporters protest at the office

A major upheaval unfolded within the Trinamool Congress party as serious allegations of ticket selling emerged against the block president in West Bengal's Panchayat elections.

The incident sparked intense protests in Bankura's Mejia block, with furious Trinamool leaders demanding the removal of the block president, Janmejay Bauri, as well as the Bankura District President. Led by Bankura District Trinamool Vice President Malay Mukherjee, the protest saw booth presidents from five regions join forces, staging a sit-in at the Mejia school intersection.

According to the claims made amidst the protests, it was alleged that Janmejay Bauri was offering tickets in exchange for large sums of money, overriding the lists of candidates submitted by the regional presidents of five panchayat areas. The alleged transactions involved payments of Rs 1 lakh for Gram Panchayat level tickets and Rs 2 lakh for Panchayat Samiti level tickets.

Janmejay Bauri, the accused block president, vehemently denied the allegations, stating that he would accept any punishment if someone could prove that he had accepted money in exchange for candidate nominations. He dismissed the accusations as the work of anti-party elements, questioning how anyone could claim that tickets had been issued when the process had not even begun.

The BJP swiftly seized the opportunity to ridicule the Trinamool Congress, highlighting the internal discord. The President of Mejia BJP Mandal criticized the ruling party, suggesting that those who had previously exploited the poor should not be surprising when they betray their own party workers for personal gain.

In response, BJP MLA Chandana Bauri from Shaltora criticized the ticket-selling practices, accusing a faction within the ruling party of prioritizing money over the welfare of the people. The emphasis was placed on the leaders' focus on financial gain rather than addressing the concerns of the general public.

 During the protest, several senior leaders reached out to District Vice President Malaya Mukherjee. After careful consideration, the demonstration was initiated only after receiving assurances of appropriate action.