In an apparent threat to the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state, Ghosh said that the TMC should not think that the fight during the rural polls will be over at the booth level. (Photo: ANI)

Kolkata:  West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh on Saturday courted controversy by saying that his party would take the fight for the upcoming panchayat polls from polling booths to crematoriums.

In an apparent threat to the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state, Ghosh said that the TMC should not think that the fight during the rural polls will be over at the booth level.

"If they think that the fight will end at the booth level, they are wrong. We will stretch it to crematoriums. We have to fight with this mentality," he told BJP workers at a party conference.

He said the BJP will put up a strong fight and win the panchayat polls.

The TMC reacted saying that references to crematoriums and burial grounds would not result in electoral gains for the BJP.

"They want to flare up the atmosphere by talking about burial grounds and crematoriums. But that won't fetch any electoral benefits as they don't have any organisation at the ground level," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said.

The BJP, which aims to become the main opposition party in the state, held a panchayat conference in the city to look into various organisational aspects of the party.

The rural polls would be held later in 2018, the dates of which are yet to be announced.