Suvendu Adhikari and Dilip Ghosh are the top contenders for West Bengal Chief Minister.
Fresh tension gripped Bhangar and adjoining areas of South 24 Parganas during the second and final phase of West Bengal Assembly elections, with the ISF alleging intimidation of polling agents and attempts to influence voters by TMC workers.
'You think it is written somewhere that she will not? She might escape for two months, perhaps a little longer. But she will go.'
The TMC is grappling with an extraordinary internal paradox as its legislative faction in West Bengal pledges 'constructive opposition' against the BJP, while a significant portion of its Lok Sabha MPs surprisingly aligns with the BJP-led NDA, exposing a profound ideological schism within the party.
'Mamata was more feared than loved, and in politics when people start fearing you then they start hating you.' 'So Mamata's comeback now is impossible.'
Apart from Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, the Barasat MP, those attending the meeting included TMC MLAs Anisur Rahaman Biswas of Deganga, Bina Mondal of Swarupnagar, Mohammad Abdul Matin of Haroa and three more legislators from the Basirhat subdivision of North 24 Parganas district.
A CID team visited the Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s central office in Kolkata as part of an investigation into alleged forged signatures of MLAs. The controversy, which involves a proposal for the Leader of Opposition, has triggered an unprecedented split within the party, with a rebel faction electing its own leader. TMC leaders prevented the CID from entering the premises, citing the absence of national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has declared that the TMC will proceed with its planned sit-in protest against alleged attacks on party leaders and workers, as well as the Railways' hawker eviction drive, despite the police denying permission for the event.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee government of diverting resources to 'Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators' and warned of losing Bengal if she remains in power.
BJP's Panihati candidate Ratna Debnath faced protests by TMC workers when she visited a booth in the assembly constituency in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district where polling was underway. She also accused the ruling party activists of preventing her from leaving the booth premises, following an altercation with them over an allegation of influencing voters.
The BJP's Murshidabad unit in West Bengal announced plans to construct a Ram temple in Berhampore, days after TMC MLA Humayun Kabir proposed to set up a mosque modeled after the Babri Masjid in Beldanga. The temple construction, estimated to cost Rs 10 crore, is expected to begin on January 22, 2025, one year after the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Kabir's announcement sparked political controversy, with opposition parties accusing him of attempting to polarise communities for political gain. The BJP's counterproposal is seen as a strategic move to strengthen its presence among the Hindu community in Murshidabad.
Congress MLA Rabindranath Chattopadhyay filed a written complaint at the Katwa police station on Saturday demanding immediate action as per law against Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal for threatening his party workers.
The construction of a Babri Masjid-style mosque in West Bengal's Murshidabad district has become a focal point in the upcoming elections, reshaping voter loyalties and raising communal tensions.
The Calcutta high court on Friday refused to intervene in the construction of a mosque -- modelled on Ayodhya's Babri Masjid -- at Beldanga in West Bengal's Murshidabad, proposed by suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir.
Following the UDF's victory in local body polls, KPCC Chief Sunny Joseph suggests Kerala Congress (M) consider rejoining the UDF. He also discusses expanding the UDF base and potentially including Trinamool Congress leader P V Anvar.
The money that was allegedly siphoned by fraudsters from Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee's dormant account with a nationalised bank earlier this week has been credited back to him by the bank authorities, the politician said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a raid at the residence of former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with the school jobs scam. This follows his release on bail after being arrested in 2022.
The Calcutta High Court has cancelled the membership of senior leader Mukul Roy in the West Bengal assembly under the anti-defection law, marking a significant moment in Indian jurisprudence.
The BJP projected the decision of TMC's Muslim MLA to join the party as a vindication of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP for allegedly attempting to divide people on religious and caste lines during a community outreach programme in her Bhabanipur constituency.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP for allegedly deleting names from electoral rolls and attempting to divide people on religious and caste lines during a community outreach programme in her Bhabanipur constituency.
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.
West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari commemorate the anniversary of the Nandigram massacre, paying tribute to the 14 protesters killed during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement.
A TMC legislator in West Bengal has allegedly threatened to pour acid in the throat of anyone criticizing migrant workers from the state, sparking controversy and condemnation from opposition parties.
This is a complete betrayal of the mandate of the people of the Sagardighi Assembly constituency, Ramesh said on Twitter.
Humayun Kabir, a former TMC minister, has been suspended from the party after announcing plans to lay the foundation of a "Babri Masjid-style" mosque on December 6. This move has sparked controversy and raised concerns about communal tensions in West Bengal.
A BJP and a Trinamool Congress worker were killed in separate incidents of post-poll violence in West Bengal on Tuesday, police said.
The TMC distanced itself from the comments of the two leaders and termed them as their personal statements.
'If the BJP becomes our political identity, our political face, if we are represented by the BJP, then what happens to our identity as Bengalis?'
A close aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was shot dead in West Bengal, leading to accusations of political violence and demands for investigation.
Kabir told reporters that "nearly 3 lakh people will gather across 25 bighas near Moradighi on Saturday", adding that religious leaders from several states had confirmed their presence.
The BJP has nominated the mother of a victim in the RG Kar case from Panihati constituency for the upcoming West Bengal elections, aiming to leverage public outrage over the incident. This move is part of a broader strategy to challenge the ruling TMC by highlighting issues of women's safety and governance.
'In West Bengal, the BJP's ideology of Hindutva will be customised to cater to the culture and the cultural imperatives of Bengalis.'
The BJP's West Bengal unit chief, Samik Bhattacharya, has alleged that at least five farmers have died by suicide in the state since February due to a potato price crisis, accusing the TMC government of negligence.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of shielding infiltrators, promoting dynastic politics, and supporting the construction of a mosque resembling the Babri Masjid.
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.
Estranged TMC MLA Humayun Kabir's plan to build a mosque modeled on the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad has sparked a political firestorm in West Bengal, with accusations and warnings escalating tensions ahead of state elections.
Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday alleged that Lalit Jha, the alleged mastermind in the Parliament security breach case, was associated with the youth wing of the Trinamool Congress.
A protest march in Siliguri, India, concerning the alleged assault of a pregnant Adivasi woman, escalated into violence, prompting police intervention and multiple detentions.
Following attacks in West Asia, hundreds of Indians, including prominent personalities, are stranded in Dubai and other key hub airports due to flight disruptions, prompting appeals for government assistance.
