The BJP said on Monday that its president JP Nadda will be on a two-day trip to West Bengal in view of the post-poll violence that broke out in the state. Nadda will be visiting the families of those affected by the violence, it said. “BJP National President Shri JP Nadda will be visiting West … Read more
Stepping up its criticism of the Election Commission, a delegation of TMC MPs on Wednesday met its officials and submitted a memorandum alleging shortcomings of the apex poll body during the assembly polls in West Bengal. It said that the party is bringing on record the “deplorable” state of affairs of the Election Commission in … Read more
The Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee for her alleged statements against central armed police forces deputed on election duty in the state. The notice issued on Thursday night said Banerjee prima facie violated various sections of the Indian Penal Code with her … Read more
Over the past few years, Bhangar, a constituency in TMC’s stronghold of S24 Parganas, has been notorious for political violence –– it has seen hundreds of crude bombs being unearthed from the houses of party leaders, the TMC party office being burnt down by the sitting MLA, and a local leader shot at his face. … Read more
Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a dig at TMC boss Mamata Banerjee, sought to know if she would contest the polls from another seat, implying her loss in Nandigram is imminent, the ruling camp in Bengal clarified that she harboured no such intention. Sporadic incidents of violence, allegations of booth capturing and clashes … Read more
BJP national president J P Nadda on Wednesday asserted that the high percentage of polling in the first phase is proof enough of a change of guard in West Bengal, as people have lost faith in the “corrupt” TMC regime. Nadda also lauded the Election Commission for conducting “peaceful elections” in spite of “TMC goons” … Read more
Joyanti Sen, an 82-year-old women’s rights activist in south Kolkata, remembers what she calls the last five “dreadful years” of the Left Front rule in West Bengal. “If the first five years were their best, the last five were a total disaster,” she says about the Left reign that lasted from 1977 to 2011, adding … Read more
The Election Commission will take a call on Sunday on the reports submitted by the West Bengal chief secretary and two special poll observers on the injuries sustained by Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, sources said. Banerjee fell down and sustained injuries on her left leg and waist after she was allegedly … Read more
In a country where sad, nondescript, and decrepit towns are strewn across the countryscape, the impending assembly elections in West Bengal proclaims Nandigram’s second tryst with history, but with a difference. Time was when this little-known town became nationally known and featured regularly in political discussions. Although few could successfully mark it on the state’s … Read more
ET Analysis: It may be tempting, yet simplistic, to view the latest Congress tiff over the electoral tie-up in West Bengal with Furfura cleric Abbas Siddiqui-led Indian Secular Front (ISF) through the prism of the on-going dissension battle within the grand old party. The concerns raised in the past few days reflect a larger debate … Read more