Kolkata, March 19 Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, launched the BJP's campaign for the high-profile Bhabanipur seat in south Kolkata on Thursday, where he is set to challenge Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Adhikari arrived in Kolkata in the morning and headed to Chakberia Road, where he inaugurated the BJP's Bhabanipur election office and organized a rally.
Speaking to reporters on his first day of campaigning, Adhikari said he was encouraged by the rally's response.
"I am hopeful that people will accept me," he said, describing the turnout at the rally as extraordinary.
Attacking Banerjee, Adhikari said, "The leader of infiltrators and corruption should be defeated."
He also alleged that small shopkeepers had complained of harassment by the chief minister's nephew, referring to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
Tension briefly prevailed in the Chakberia Road area as supporters of both parties gathered in large numbers.
While BJP workers celebrated Adhikari's arrival, TMC supporters continued with wall writing and raised slogans such as 'Joy Bangla' and 'Mamata Banerjee Zindabad'.
Kolkata Police personnel were deployed in large numbers and formed human barricades to separate rival supporters and prevent any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, former TMC leader Tapas Roy, who recently joined the BJP, said the ruling party could have shown restraint by briefly postponing their programme.
Adhikari is scheduled to campaign in Nandigram later in the day.