Escalation of violence in Bengal: Is Mamata getting desperate with the BJP’s rise?

While poll violence has become a thing of the past even in the Hindi belt - particularly Bihar, West Bengal has accepted it as a sole tool to fight elections. The party in power in Bengal, which happens to be the Trinamool Congress (TMC) - has always used muscle power and cunning manipulation to protect its turf.

Like on May 14, clashes broke out between the supporters of the BJP and TMC during Amit Shah's road show in Kolkata. Both the BJP and Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress accused each other for violence. Large numbers of ABVP members clashed with TMCP supporters at College Street.

As the BJP roadshow was passing in front of the college, the TMCP supporters showed black flags, shouted anti-BJP slogans and hurled stones. The BJP supporters retaliated and threw the stones back.

This clearly indicates that TMC cannot afford to let the BJP make inroads into Bengal, since the TMC's only seat of power is in Bengal. While on the other hand, the BJP desperately needs to have a toehold in Bengal. Looking at these developments, do you think Mamata is getting desperate with the BJP's rise?