West Bengal clash

BBC World Service, Thursday 19 February 1998, published at 15:52 GMT

Police in the Indian state of West Bengal say that there has been a clash between supporters of the Congress party and the breakaway Trinamool Congress during election campaigning.

Police said that the rebel Congress leader, Mamata Banerji was prevented from going ahead with a public rally in Topsia district by a local Congress leader, Javed Khan.

The incident led to a clash between the two groups of supporters.

Police said that Mamata Banerji had organised a sit-in protest in the area over the incident.