THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Kolkata, Dec 1: Tension escalated outside the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal’s office on Monday when a protest by the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee collided with the arrival of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and several party MLAs.
The BJP delegation had a pre-scheduled meeting with election officials, but their entry coincided with a surge in the ongoing agitation demanding improved working conditions for Booth Level Officers.
Police had already sealed off the area in anticipation of Adhikari’s visit. However, soon after noon, the protesting group intensified its demonstration—shouting “go back” slogans and attempting to push through the barricades.
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Security forces formed a buffer as BJP workers also gathered at the spot, leading to loud exchanges of slogans and counter-slogans from both camps.
Officials noted that the sit-in, which had earlier drawn only a small number of actual BLOs, expanded significantly on Monday as additional supporters joined the agitation.
Despite the chaos outside, Adhikari and the BJP team entered the CEO’s office without interruption and handed over a memorandum to the officials.
The BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee has accused local authorities of coercing BLOs during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, an accusation the ruling Trinamool Congress has rejected outright.
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The BJP, meanwhile, alleged that the protest itself was politically engineered to hinder its delegation’s meeting. Election authorities refrained from issuing any comment on the confrontation.
