The police detained several party workers and leaders following the clashes (Representational)
BJP activists clashed with the police outside the party's headquarters in Kolkata today after they were stopped from taking out a rally to protest against the alleged violence during the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections.
BJP - the Opposition in the state - had demanded the cancellation of the "violence-marred civic body polls" held yesterday and announced that it will hold protests across the state and organise a rally in the city during the day.
The city police put up barricades outside the BJP office since morning, saying that the party didn't have permission to take out the rally.
As the protesters began their march, they were stopped outside the party office, leading to a fight with the police.
Several party workers and leaders have been detained following this.
"Whenever the BJP wants to take out any rally, permission is denied citing Covid norms. We had announced yesterday that we will protest against the violence in the civic polls," the party's state vice-president Jaiprakash Majumdar said.
The Left and Congress also staged protests near the State Election Commission office in Kolkata against the alleged violence in the civic body polls.
Sporadic incidents of violence, including the hurling of crude bombs at two booths, were reported during the KMC elections even as over 63 percent of the nearly 40.5 lakh voters exercised their franchise.