For over a decade, the TMC's dominance in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur rested on a near-complete consolidation of Muslim votes, a bloc that accounts for 50 per cent or more of the population in large parts of this belt.
The Election Commission has deployed 432 counting observers across all 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal to ensure transparent and smooth counting of votes. Several districts have been assigned additional observers in view of their sensitivity and electoral significance. Enforcement agencies have carried out extensive seizure drives during the election period to curb illegal inducements, with total seizures valued at approximately Rs 561 crore.
A significant 7.87 per cent increase in the BJP's vote share in West Bengal, reaching 45.84 per cent, propelled the party to secure an additional 130 assembly seats, bringing their total to 207, while the Trinamool Congress experienced a 7.22 per cent decline, losing 135 seats and falling to 80.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections was disrupted by EVM glitches and overnight violence in several districts. Polling was halted or delayed at multiple booths due to malfunctioning Electronic Voting Machines. Incidents of violence were reported in Murshidabad and Cooch Behar, with political parties trading accusations.
The Election Commission has intensified preparations for the West Bengal Assembly elections by reshuffling senior officers and deploying IAS and IPS officers in key poll management roles.
West Bengal's upcoming 2026 election may hinge on the impact of recent electoral roll revisions, particularly in 65-70 closely contested constituencies where victory margins are slim. The deletion of over 90 lakh names, especially in key areas like Nandigram, Bhabanipur, and the Matua belt, has redrawn the electoral map, potentially influencing the outcome for both the TMC and BJP.
The alliance between Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and AIMIM in West Bengal has collapsed following allegations of a multi-crore deal with the BJP, leading to AIMIM's withdrawal and both parties planning to contest the elections independently.
This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
Bangladesh needed to be clearly told that New Delhi would respond firmly if such rhetoric continued.
Humayun Kabir, recently suspended from the TMC, has launched a new political party, Janata Unnayan Party, and announced candidates for the 2026 assembly elections.
Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh's former first female prime minister and chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, has died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness.
Islam was among nine persons arrested by Morigaon police on May 24 in a crackdown on illegal immigrants declared by the Foreigners' Tribunal, but who had been evading deportation.
The West Bengal government has transferred over 500 bureaucrats ahead of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The move has drawn criticism from the opposition BJP, who allege it is an attempt to manipulate the electoral process.
India's fresh restrictions on limiting access to Bangladeshi exports appear to be in response to Dhaka denying certain value-added items from the Northeast to enter that country through the land transit points.
A brief clash erupted on the India-Bangladesh border near a BSF border outpost on Saturday morning after an altercation between farmers from both countries escalated. The situation was swiftly brought under control following the intervention of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The incident occurred near the Sukdevpur border outpost area where fencing work was recently paused after the BGB claimed it was being conducted on Bangladeshi territory. The clash began when Indian farmers accused Bangladeshi farmers of stealing crops, which quickly escalated into a verbal argument and then a physical confrontation with both sides throwing stones at each other. The BSF and BGB worked to de-escalate the situation and disperse the farmers, and there have been no reports of injuries. The BSF has requested Indian farmers to avoid getting involved in border disputes and to report any farming-related issues directly to BSF personnel. The BGB has also taken steps to manage the situation on their side of the border. The situation on the border is now under control.
'Mamata needs to address the anger and resentment among various sections of the Hindu community because low-scale communal violence has always paid richer electoral dividends for the BJP.'
The border forces of India and Bangladesh will hold their bi-annual talks next week in New Delhi, with issues such as border fence construction and attacks on BSF personnel and civilians by Bangladeshi miscreants figuring among the discussion points. The 55th Director General-Level Border Coordination Conference between BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be organised at the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in New Delhi between February 17-20. The conference will be the first top-level meeting between the two sides after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August last year. Discussions will be held on prevention of attacks on BSF personnel and Indian civilians by Bangladesh-based miscreants/nationals, how to prevent trans-border crimes, construction of a single-row fence, action against Indian Insurgent Groups in Bangladesh, issues related to border infrastructure, joint efforts for effective implementation of the Coordinated Border Management Plan, Confidence Building Measures and other issues.
Amateur Ham Radio operators have picked up suspicious late-night radio signals in coded Bengali, Urdu and Arabic along the Indo-Bangladesh border in South Bengal over the last two months, raising concerns about possible extremist activities. The signals, which have been detected between 1 AM and 3 AM, are unusual in their pattern and language usage, according to Ham radio operators, who have reported the matter to authorities. The development comes amidst ongoing unrest in Bangladesh and growing anti-India rhetoric in the neighbouring country. Security agencies are investigating the matter, and the Border Security Force (BSF) has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation.
A retired judge of Bangladesh's Supreme Court was detained from the northeastern frontier with India in Sylhet while he was allegedly attempting to flee the country, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said late on Friday.
Ram Navami was celebrated on Thursday with fervour across the country, with processions taken out in different states.
Huge tri-colour-themed banners have been put up along the Kartavya Path while the theme for this year's tableaux that would roll down the boulevard where the annual Republic Day celebrations take place is 'Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas', focusing on 75 years of the enactment of the Constitution.
Bangladesh has summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka over border tensions, accusing India of violating a bilateral agreement by constructing fences at five locations along the Indo-Bangla border. The development comes after Bangladesh officials alleged that India had halted construction of barbed wire fencing due to strong opposition from the Border Guard Bangladesh and local residents.
Five persons, including three Bangladeshis, were injured as personnel from the Border Security Force and Bangladesh Rifles traded gunfire in West Bengal's Malda and South Dinajpur districts.
The protest started at 6 am on Tuesday with the blockade of the old National Highway 6, which connects Kolkata to Mumbai, at Khemasuli in Kharagpur Local police station area by Kudmi Samaj West Bengal, they said.
''Over 3.50 lakh birds in Birbhum and 26,000 in South Dinajpur district will be culled from tomorrow,'' Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rahaman said on Tuesday.
TMC on a roll, wins 13 out of 17 zilla parishads in WB
A TMC worker, identified as 52-year-old Jiyarul Molla, was shot dead in Phulmalancha area in Basanti in South 24 Parganas district late on Saturday night while he was returning home, a police officer said.
A brief overview of North Bengal districts' constituencies
The Ayush ministry has been roped in by the BSF for the project. The ministry has provided the border-guarding force with the beehives and required expertise to fix those on the alloy-made "smart fence".
According to the available information, two Hindu leaders, who were incidentally leaders of Hasina's Awami League party, were killed in north-western Sirajganj and Rangpur, Debnath said, adding that the Council was still gathering more information.
The districts have provided 64 days of jobs under the 100-day job scheme as against the state average of 45 days.
'In the interim, India will be confronted with anti-India feeling because Sheikh Hasina had India's support.' 'We will have to deal with it, but it will not be a permanent phenomenon.' 'There is substantial goodwill towards India which will stand us in good stead.'
The feisty TMC boss also accused the CPI-M of ruining her party's relationship with the Congress, its ally in the Opposition bloc INDIA at the national level.
The Trinamool Congress on Monday appeared set to sweep the crucial panchayat poll in West Bengal with a huge margin in most of the districts, taking a comfortable lead in gram panchayat in 12 of 17 districts.
Some birds were found dead in southern and eastern parts of Kolkata on Friday, triggering panic among residents even as culling operations in bird flu-hit areas of Birbhum and South Dinajpur districts continued at a slow pace.
BSF jawans, posted at the Bhaigarh border outpost, one km from Bhimpur rushed to the village after hearing the gunshots but BDR and the villagers had left by then.
Her whose testimony of a miraculous cure from an abdominal tumour through Mother Teresa's intercession had paved the way for the nun's beatification.
West Bengal Minister Biswanath Choudhury, accompanied by District Magistrate of South Dinajpur Sarfaraz Ahmed visited the spot and said the BDR fired every now and then and this had "terrorised" villagers.
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