As many as 10 candidates of West Bengal panchayat elections have fled to Assam following alleged attacks by Trinamool Congress workers, BJP leaders in the northeastern state claimed.

Nine of these are BJP candidates who won the elections while one was a CPI(M) contestant, they said, according to a PTI report.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had on Tuesday said 133 people from West Bengal have taken shelter in the state, fearing for their lives because of the panchayat election violence back home.

Five BJP candidates who won from Chilakhana-II gram panchayat under Tufanganj assembly constituency in Coochbehar district reached Dhubri, the district BJP president Prosenjit Dutta told media persons.

The other four BJP candidates who have fled their homes came from Balarampur-II gram panchayat under the Natabari assembly constituency of the same district.

A CPI(M) candidate Noor Mohammad also fled along with his family from his home in Coochbehar district to Dhubri alleging that Trinamool Congress workers had attacked him and his supporters.

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BJP leaders have accused the Trinamool Congress of unleashing violence in the state panchayat polls. They have claimed that at least 45 people were killed in the violence.

Assam BJP president Bhabesh Kalita told reporters: “Democracy has been murdered in West Bengal and there is goonda Raj in the neighbouring state.” ''West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should take lessons from how polls are conducted in Assam. Panchayat, assembly and parliamentary elections have been conducted under the BJP rule since 2016 and there have been no incidents of violence,'' Kalita said.

(With agencies inputs)

(Edited by : Pradeep John)