Nadia (West Bengal) [India], May 2 (ANI): Bhratiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Jagannath Sarkar on Friday criticised senior party leader Dilip Ghosh for meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying the move had caused disappointment among the public given the prevailing political situation in the state.

'Dilip Ghosh is a great leader of our party. But what he did has hurt people,' Sarkar said while addressing reporters.

The reaction comes after West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee met BJP leader Dilip Ghosh and his wife at the newly inaugurated Jagannath Temple in Digha town of Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal.

Referring to recent incidents in Murshidabad, Sarkar alleged misuse of state machinery under the ruling Trinamool Congress. 'In Mamata Banerjee's rule, the police remained submissive, people were falsely accused on Mamata's orders, families were tortured, houses were looted, and shops were burnt (in Murshidabad),' he said.

He questioned the timing and nature of Ghosh's meeting with the Chief Minister.

'Holding a meeting with her at such a time was not right. If he wanted, he could have just visited the temple (Jagannath temple in Digha), or he could have expressed a demand about the atrocities committed against Hindus. But the people are very upset with what he did,' Sarkar said.

Following the backlash after BJP leader Dilip Ghosh visited Jagannath Temple and met with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh has backed the BJP member, saying that his (Dilip Ghosh's) 'rivalry is not with Lord Jagannath.'

The TMC leader said, 'We have a political rivalry with Dilip Ghosh. But his rivalry is not with Lord Jagannath. Mamata Banerjee had invited many opposition leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari, Sukanta Majumdar, Dilip Ghosh, and Pradip Bhattacharya, to visit the newly built Jagannath temple at Digha here... '

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Wednesdayinaugurated Jagannath Temple in Digha town of Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal. Dilip Ghosh and his wife met Banerjee at the temple premises. (ANI)