Subhashis Om, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from the Debra constituency in West Bengal, has alleged that he was physically assaulted by his own party workers on the night of November 2, 2026. The incident, which has surfaced amidst growing concerns over internal factionalism within the state BJP, resulted in the MLA being hospitalised for injuries to his head and limbs.
The lawmaker has filed a formal complaint at the local Debra Police Station in the Paschim Midnapore district, specifically naming at least six individuals as participants in the attack. Initially admitted to a local medical facility, Mr. Om was subsequently transferred to the Medinipur District Hospital to receive more comprehensive treatment for his injuries.
Speaking to reporters from his hospital bed, the legislator asserted that the confrontation was a direct result of his opposition to extortion activities within his constituency. He alleged that these illegal rackets were being facilitated with the tacit support of the local party leadership. According to the MLA, several individuals who accompanied him during the incident were also targeted and injured during the scuffle.
Mr. Om further alleged that the attackers included party workers who had joined the BJP following the party's ascent to power in the state on May 4. He stated, “Our government has zero tolerance towards extortion; respecting that stance, I tried to go forward, but I realised the extortion did not stop and the racket was going on with help from the district leadership.”
In response to the allegations, Tanmoy Das, the BJP district chairperson, stated that he was unaware of any extortion activities involving party members. He questioned the severity of the injuries sustained by the MLA and his associates, suggesting that their medical condition appeared to fluctuate once media representatives arrived at the hospital. Mr. Das emphasised that such internal grievances should have been addressed through private party channels rather than being aired in the public domain.
The incident has drawn immediate criticism from opposition ranks, with Trinamool Congress members describing the event as an indication of the BJP’s deteriorating internal discipline. The development is particularly significant given that the BJP campaigned heavily on a platform promising to eradicate the syndicate and extortion culture that they frequently accused the Trinamool Congress of fostering.
This event follows a string of public disputes between different factions of the BJP in West Bengal. On October 26, a disagreement broke out between MLAs Kaustav Bagchi and Arjun Singh over the inclusion of former Trinamool Congress leaders into the BJP fold. Mr. Bagchi had publicly threatened self-immolation in protest of the move, a claim dismissed by Mr. Singh.
Internal tensions further escalated on October 30, when Mr. Bagchi was met with “Go Back” slogans within Mr. Singh’s constituency. On the same day, a separate clash occurred between two BJP factions in the Titagarh area of North 24 Parganas district, resulting in severe injuries to a party worker during a public event. These ongoing conflicts have increasingly highlighted the challenges the party faces in maintaining unity at the ground level.
Comments