Following the announcement of the candidate list for the upcoming Assembly elections, local workers in Bengal went on protests against the fielding of leaders who had joined BJP from rival party Trinamool Congress.
Ashok Lahiri, a former Chief Economic Advisor to the central government, was initially field in Alipurduar in North Bengal but was later replaced by local BJP leader Suman Kanjilal following protests by workers that they would not accept an outsider on the seat. Sources in the BJP have hinted that Lahiri might now be fielded by Balurghat seat in South Dinajpur.
Likewise, protests were witnessed in Panchla in Howrah, where former Trinamool leader Mohitlal Ghati was given the ticket. BJP activists had also held protests in front of the party's election office in Hastings in Kolkata on March 15th and 16th. Senior party leaders such as Shiv Prakash, Mukul Roy and Arjun Singh were heckled at the protests.
The party is yet to announce its candidates for Balurghat, Rashbehari, Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.