This comes a day after Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar invited Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for talks , saying he “cannot afford confrontation with an elected government.”

Addressing a public meeting on the first day of the three-day CPI national council meeting here, Raja said the new citizenship law is not only against Muslims, but also “against the poor, Dalits, tribals and common people”.

Smriti Kana Das alleged that TMC workers, including gram panchayat deputy pradhan Amal Sarkar, beat her up after she protested against the construction of a road, which according to her, had encroached upon her land.

Cash deposit, withdrawal, cheque clearances, and loan disbursement have been put on hold. At some places in the city, long queues were witnessed outside ATMs.

Chandrima Bhattacharya said all districts will take out rallies and the main event will be held in Kolkata. She did not reveal if Banerjee will participate in the protest.

The state government is taking no chances and has stepped up vigil at all incoming points to the state. After one positive case was detected in Nepal, the West Bengal government started checkposts at three places on the Darjeeling Nepal Border.

Ghosh’s comments against the woman had on Thursday triggered a verbal attack by TMC and CPM.

According to police, Agarwal and Loharuka allegedly used to go out with women and took pictures and videos of intimate moments before breaking up with them. As many as 182 video clips and pictures were found from the two city-based businessman.

The incident took place at Gandhi Ghat in Barrackpore of North 24 Parganas district where Dhankhar, State Power Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay and senior bureaucrats took part in a state government programme to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary.

Addressing party workers at Gandhi Ghat in Barrackpore on Thursday, Ghosh said there is no place for soft people in politics. The BJP leader also advised those aspiring to be political leaders that they should go to jail by themselves if the police don’t arrest them.

In 2011, when Mamata Banerjee became the chief minister of West Bengal, Ghosh was the one of the most powerful members in the TMC. But after Ghosh was arrested over the Saradha scam, he was suspended from TMC. Ghosh is currently out on bail.

Dhankhar on Tuesday faced protests from a section of Calcutta University students who prevented him from attending the university’s annual convocation ceremony at Nazrul Mancha. Following the protest, the Governor had to leave the premises.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Banerjee said several schemes run by the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal are interesting and he will study them before taking a decision on the chief minister’s offer to work together.

Celebrating the freedom fighter’s birth anniversary in Darjeeling, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said through his struggle, Bose had sent the message of respecting all faith and the best tribute to him would be to fight for a united India.

The Trinamool Congress, however, denied the allegation and accused the BJP workers of hurling bombs on TMC councillor Manoj Guha.

The State Election Commission, which is yet to decide on it, will take the call on February 10, sources said.

The annual fair, which will be held from January 29 to February 9, will host about 600 books stalls and 200 little magazine kiosks.

Taking a jibe at Ghosh, Trinamool Congress (TMC) secretary general Partha Chatterjee said he is like “our goddess Laxmi”. “The more he speaks, the better for us. He is making it easier for us to get people’s support,” said Chatterjee.

Earlier two persons — Achintya Bagdi and Saber Ali — had been arrested for their alleged involvement in the assault on the members of Left-leaning Students’ Federation of India (SFI) on January 15.

Under the guidance of Samrat Bose, director and mentor of the group, Theatre Traveller, the prisoners will spread the message of communal harmony through the eponymous drama, Lalon.

Around noon, the police stopped Ghosh, who tried to enter Nandigram through Chandipur, at Tengua More, following which there was a scuffle between BJP workers and security personnel. Police officials told PTI that they were provoked to baton-charge.

Bengali film actor Paran Bandyopadhyay said, “Today the country is in distress and people have started awakening. The people in power have got the people’s response and this protest will continue.”

The committee comprises former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya and Visva-Bharati executive council members Dulal Chandra Ghosh and Manju Mohan Mukherjee.

The state urban and municipal department had requested the election commission to keep the Ramzan month out of the poll schedule.