West Bengal tense, Governor Kesri Nath Tripathi meets PM Narendra Modi

Amid spiral of violence leading to deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal, Governor Kesri Nath Tripathi held back to back meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday fuelling speculations if the state is heading for a President's rule in the near future.

"I have apprised the Prime Minister and the Home Minister about the ground situation prevailing in the state. I can't disclose more details of the meeting," Tripathi said after meeting Shah. He also denied discussing President's rule with the Centre.

Governor Tripathi's meeting at the highest level, the first one after the Lok Sabha elections came amidst a verbal dual between the Centre and the West Bengal government on the issue of post-poll violence in the state and a stiff advisory issued to the state by the union home ministry on Sunday.

In the advisory, the ministry expressed "deep concern" over the continuing "unabated violence" and sought to blame it as a failure on part of the state government.

"The unabated violence over the past weeks appears to be a failure on the part of the law enforcement machinery of the state to maintain the rule of law and inspire confidence among people," the advisory said seeking a report from the state government on the violence.

Two BJP and a Trinamool supporter were killed in the state on Saturday. The state BJP, however, alleged that five of its workers were killed in the violence perpetrated by the TMC supporters.

Fearing possibility of clamping President's rule because of the tone and tenor of the advisory, Trinamool on Monday shot a second letter to Shah rebutting charges and alleging that the advisory was a "deep-rooted conspiracy" by the BJP and an "evil ploy to grab power" in opposition-ruled states.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also issued a veiled warning to the BJP, saying "an injured tiger is more dangerous than a dead tiger."

Responding to the advisory, chief secretary Malay Kumar De wrote that "firm and appropriate actions" have been initiated in all the cases of violence without any delay.

The BJP, however, termed the allegations baseless and claimed that the law-and-order situation in the state has completely broken down. As a mark of protest, the BJP observed a "Black Day" to protest against the killing of members and took out rallies in Kolkata and held a shutdown in Basirhat on Monday.

Hundreds of BJP workers were stopped by the police on Kolkata's outskirts while on their way to the state capital with the bodies of the two workers who died in Saturday's clashes.