Paschim Bardhaman (West Bengal): Amid the explosive political fallout of an alleged 'sting video', claiming that the BJP faked Sandeshkhali horrors to defame the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state, Dilip Ghosh, the latter's candidate for the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat, said people were being "bought and sold" in the state.
Also weighing in on the controversy around the molestation charge against Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose by a staffer at the Raj Bhavan, Mr Ghosh claimed that people were also being installed at the Governor's official residence in exchange for money.
Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the BJP's former state president said, "People are being bought and sold (under the Trinamool). They are even being seated or installed at the Raj Bhavan in exchange for money. However, this (alleged sting video) wouldn't make any difference (to the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections in the state). It was not the BJP but the common people of Sandeshkhali who erupted in protest and came out on the streets against the ruling party. (Sheikh) Shahjahan (expelled Trinamool strongman and key Sandeshkhali accused) has confessed to the charges against him. It was his henchmen who attacked the ED and CBI (teams)."
The Trinamool, on Saturday, flagged a video from an alleged sting operation that was broadcast by a local television news channel.
In the alleged video, a person, purportedly a BJP mandal (booth) president by the name of Gangadhar Koyal is heard saying that Sandeshkhali women were not assaulted sexually, but projected as 'rape' survivors at the behest of the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
Claiming that Suvendu Adhikari 'helped' him get this done, the person in the video said that the former told him that the Trinamool strongmen in the area wouldn't be arrested unless he is falsely implicated in a "rape case".
However, the news channel that broke the alleged sting operation did not attest to the veracity of the clip.
Sharing a clip from the alleged sting operation, Trinamool leader and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, claimed on his official X handle that the people should see through the BJP's attempts to tarnish Bengal's image and reputation to advance and achieve its political ends.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, too, posted about the alleged sting video from her official X handle, stating, "The shocking Sandeshkhali sting shows how deep the rot is within the BJP. In their hatred for Bengal's progressive thought & culture, the Bangla-Birodhis orchestrated a conspiracy to defame our state on every possible level. Never before in the history of India has a ruling party in Delhi tried to malign an entire state and its people. History will witness how Bengal will rise in rage against Delhi's conspiratorial regime & ensure their Bishorjon (they will be consigned to the waters)."
Shahjahan is currently behind bars in connection with the attack on a team of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) while it was in the process of raiding his residence in connection with the alleged ration scam.
He was arrested on February 29, 55 days after being on the run in connection with the assault on the ED team.
The women of Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas district came out on the streets earlier against the ruling Trinamool and Shahjahan, accusing the now expelled party strongman and his aides of perpetrating gross excesses and atrocities on them while also gobbling up their land.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)