BJP candidate threatens TMC workers to kill them like a dog

BJP Lok Sabha candidate Bharati Ghosh on Saturday courted controversy by threatening TMC workers to bring musclemen from Uttar Pradesh and kill them like a dog if they dared to act smart.

Ghosh, a former IPS officer who was once close to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said this while campaigning at Ghatal constituency shortly after the Trinamool Congress supremo warned her not to cross the limit of decency.

"Get inside your houses and do not try to show your smartness here. There will be no place to hide. I will drag you out of your house and kill you like a dog.... I will bring over 1,000 men from UP, put them inside your residence and teach you a lesson," the BJP nominee said while campaigning in Ghatal constituency.

Senior TMC leader Parthat Chatterjee said in Kolkata that the party will move the EC to complaint against Ghosh, who was once the superintendent of police in West Midnapore district in which Ghatal falls, for this comment.

The Election Commission sought a report from the district administration after taking suo motu cognizance of the incident, officials said in Kolkata.

Shortly before this incident, the chief minister warned Ghosh, without naming her, not to cross the limit of decency, otherwise she will be arrested.

Ghosh was accused of abusing police personnel and rival party workers earlier also.

"The BJP has nominated two candidates here - one man and a woman. The woman is accused of money laundering. Both of them are abusing our candidates. I will tell her not to force me to open my mouth. If I share the texts you (Bharati) had sent me while you were in the police service, I will not have to tell people anything more," Banerjee said during a road show in Ghatal in West Midnapore district.

"We could have lodged cases against you (Bharati) If we wanted to get you arrested. There is a Supreme Court order in one case that you cannot be arrested. But There are several other cases against you. Despite that we have not done anything and let you contest the poll because we have not forgotten deceny. Do not talk anything which crosses the limit of decency," she said.

When contacted, TMC's Ghatal candidate Dev said, "I do not understand what to say. I think people should not forget decency. I had huge respect for Bharati-di, but after this incident I think that will be affected. I think the people of Ghatal will give a befitting reply to this."