Deepak Barman, the BJP MLA of Falakata in Alipurduar district, put up a post on social media on Wednesday, thanking Mridul Goswami, the district Trinamul president, and Ganga Prasad Sharma, the immediate past BJP chief of the district who defected to Mamata Banerjee’s party on Monday, for the saffron party’s win in the district.

In Bengal, Alipurduar is one of the districts where the BJP has won all five Assembly seats this time.

Barman, in his post, thanked both these leaders for the BJP’s stellar performance, a move that has left them, specifically Goswami, red-faced.

“As Ganga Prasad Sharma did a turncoat and joined Trinamul, he mentioned that even before the elections, he was in close contact with Mridul Goswami. It proves both of them have jointly worked to ensure BJP’s victory in all five seats of the district. That is why I felt it necessary to thank them,” said the Falakata MLA.

After Barman’s post surfaced, questions on its various meanings were raised by the leaders in different tiers of Trinamul in Alipurduar, party insiders said.

Goswami, however, tried to put a brave face.

“Ganga Prasad Sharma’s exit was a major setback for BJP in the district. That is why their MLAs are making such comments. Does he (Barman) have any proof that I have worked in connivance with him (Sharma, for the BJP’s victory in the district)? He’d better get his facts correct,” the Trinamul district president said.

Sharma, the new entrant in Trinamul, denied commenting on the BJP MLA’s post. “There is nothing to remark on it. The elections are a closed chapter,” he said.