The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal of inciting post-poll violence by disguising its workers as BJP supporters. The BJP asserts its cadres have never engaged in violence after election victories and claims the TMC is acting out of frustration after suffering a crushing defeat in the assembly polls.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee took the oath of office as West Bengal's first woman chief minister on Friday.West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan administered the oath of office to her. Banerjee, who is the eighth chief minister of the state, took her oath in Bengali.The oath-taking ceremony at the Raj Bhavan was taken amid tight security.Apart from Banerjee, 43 other ministers, including seven from the Congress party, were administered the oath of office.
142 assembly seats will go to the polls on April 29 in phase 2.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee declined to attend the dinner being hosted by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on the eve of Presidential elections.
West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shyamapada Mondal waded into controversy by calling Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a 'eunuch' and accused her of practicing politics of appeasement. "Today you cannot understand whether Mamata Banerjee is a female or a male... I'd say she has become a 'hijra' (eunuch)," he said.
BJP chief Nitin Nabin has accused the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal of altering the state's demography by giving land rights to infiltrators and forcing residents to leave due to appeasement politics and lawlessness.
Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Saraogi supports Amit Shah's allegations that the TMC government in West Bengal is harbouring infiltrators and obstructing border fencing.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged past the halfway mark in the West Bengal assembly elections, leading in 185 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 91, signalling a potential political shift in the state. Early trends suggest a geographically split mandate, with the BJP gaining in border, tribal, and industrial regions, while the TMC holds ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
Banerjee was supposed to attend the event, but the principal denied permission and the invitation was withdrawn on Friday.
The single factor that can help West Bengal to tackle its debt crisis is private investment.
Staunchly declining to comment on personalities, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee says there are enough assets with the organisation to enable a sustained improvement in operations which will also push development. Edited excerpts:
The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress of inciting post-poll violence in West Bengal by impersonating BJP supporters, warning that they will face legal consequences. The BJP asserts its members have never engaged in post-election violence and claims TMC cadres are using BJP symbols to create unrest.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while interacting with media personnel on board Air India One on Wednesday evening, made it clear that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been consulted at every step while drawing up the Teesta water sharing agreement with Bangladesh.
Amid a debate on the issue of presidential candidate, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
'What lesson will the other UPA allies draw? Mamata has been strident -- even defiant -- when it comes to protecting her turf, even risking outright rupture with the Congress. She has been repaid by the voters. Will other parties too draw the same lesson?'
Mercurial West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who single-handedly ended the 34-year-old Left rule in the state, completed one year in office on Sunday, claiming she never boasted of resolving all the problems during this span even as she faces fresh challenges on various fronts.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the BJP would not allow any intruders into West Bengal if they win the state election, and would selectively root out illegal immigrants already present.
The police are yet to file an FIR.
'The Trinamool Congress cannot afford to vote with the BJP or the CPI-M,' she said. 'Neither can we support the Congress.'
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed rallies in Birbhum, West Bengal, promising to tackle corruption and infiltration if the BJP wins the upcoming elections. He criticised the TMC government and outlined welfare schemes for women, youth, and farmers.
The absence of many TMC legislators from a major protest programme has triggered political chatter, raising questions about the party's unity and ability to transition into an effective opposition after its recent electoral defeat in West Bengal.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has promised to expel infiltrators from West Bengal and secure the border if the BJP wins the upcoming assembly elections. He accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of neglecting North Bengal and favouring Muslims in budget allocations.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur believes PM Modi's purchase of 'jhalmuri' in Jhargram will influence the West Bengal Assembly polls, contrasting it with CM Mamata Banerjee's actions. He also criticised the TMC government for blocking central schemes and failing to ensure women's safety.
The Indian Army's Eastern Command has sought the intervention of West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose in connection with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's recent allegation that a senior army officer was using the command base at Fort William and working on the SIR exercise at the behest of the BJP.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah pledged the BJP will recover funds allegedly stolen by the TMC in Bengal and promised development schemes for North Bengal, while attacking Mamata Banerjee's governance.
The Trinamool Congress chief is keen to get the veteran leader in the party fold to counter the growing influence of young Turk Sudip Bandopadhyay.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in a roadshow in Kharagpur Sadar, West Bengal, attracting large crowds and highlighting the BJP's campaign efforts in the region ahead of the assembly elections.
The Supreme Court will hear on Wednesday a plea filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenging the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
The BJP has criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following Supreme Court observations regarding obstructions during ED raids at I-PAC premises, alleging abuse of power and shielding of those accused of corruption.
The TMC's defeat in West Bengal signals an institutional breakdown, highlighting the collapse of its organisational core and raising questions about its sustainability beyond its top leadership.
'In West Bengal, the BJP's ideology of Hindutva will be customised to cater to the culture and the cultural imperatives of Bengalis.'
A man died after becoming trapped in a lift at a Kolkata hospital, leading to accusations of negligence and corruption against the state government.
The BJP must respect Bengal's pluralistic ethos and with this historic mandate give the state the constructive change it truly deserves, expects Kolkata native Payal Singh Mohanka.
The BJP has released its first list of candidates for the West Bengal assembly polls, featuring Suvendu Adhikari against Mamata Banerjee in a high-stakes electoral battle. The Left Front has also announced its initial list of candidates, setting the stage for a crucial election.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin has pledged to change place names deemed antithetical to West Bengal's culture and address Bangladeshi infiltration if the party wins the state election.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will not be a star campaigner for the Trinamool Congress as the Election Commission has rejected the list of her party's star campaigners for the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls. The expenditure incurred on the party campaigners, including Banerjee, will not be exempted now as they are not 'star campaigners' approved by the EC and such expenses will be included in the candidates' expenses, sources said.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused the BJP of attempting to manipulate the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections by submitting a large number of Form 6 applications to illegally register voters from outside the state.
Banerjee is personally present in court room one along with her lawyers. A gate pass was issued in the chief minister's name on Tuesday.
Narendra Modi hits out at Trinamool Congress over chaos during Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit, promises boost to Bengal sports ecosystem.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has criticised the TMC government in West Bengal, alleging that its policies have led to increased infiltration and threaten national security. He framed the upcoming elections as a battle against these issues, promising change if the BJP comes to power.
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