In a sting operation, a video footage claiming to show several senior leaders of Trinamul Congress, TMC, allegedly accepting huge bribe in lieu of lobbying for a fictitious company today created major political controversy in West Bengal. Contents of the footage have not been verified independently. Portions from the reported footage, put up in public domain by a news website, were shown on several TV news channels aired from Kolkata.<br/><br/>Reacting sharply against the alleged sting, TMC national spokesperson, Derek O'Brien, calling it a smear campaign, said his party was busy in election mode and the people of Bengal will give their verdict on the dirty politics through the voting machines. Another party leader, Mukul Roy said the tape is doctored and TMC will take legal recourse.<br/><br/>BJP leader, Siddharth Nath Singh said, one has to remember that the accused leaders have come from Congress but now they have overtaken the mother party in corruption. The matter will be referred for proper investigation to CBI, he added. CPI-M state secretary, Surjya Kanta Mishra, without naming the ruling party said that it is matter of shame that this government is still continuing. <br/><br/>He demanded that Election Commission should probe the matter and if needed elections be put on hold. CPI(M) also tweeted the alleged sting's video from its Twitter handle. Congress leader, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Mamata Banerjee owes a reply to the people and her party must come clean rather than harping on the hollow slogan of Maa, Maati and Maanush.