The Trinamool Congress has submitted new names and symbols to the Election Commission for the upcoming West Bengal bypolls, following an interim order that temporarily barred the party from using its original name and "flowers and grass" symbol due to an ongoing internal dispute and split. The party submitted its choices under protest.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of attempting to illegally include voters from outside the state in West Bengal's electoral rolls, alleging a coordinated effort to interfere with democratic rights.
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.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced a fresh inquiry into Mamata Banerjee's alleged "false claims" of a leg injury during the 2021 assembly poll campaign. Adhikari presented a medical report suggesting no fracture or dislocation, asserting Banerjee faked the injury, which he claims insulted the people of Nandigram. The controversy surrounds an incident in Nandigram where Banerjee sustained injuries, leading to her campaigning in a wheelchair, and her party's subsequent victory.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the TMC will return to power for a fourth term, urging opposition parties to unite against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. She criticised the BJP's chargesheet against the TMC and alleged corruption in the Haldia dock complex. Banerjee also questioned Prime Minister Modi's claim of being the BJP candidate in all West Bengal seats.
Senior Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra has joined the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, resigning from all organisational posts under Mamata Banerjee's leadership while maintaining his Trinamool MLA status. This move significantly bolsters the rebel camp and intensifies the power struggle within the party, coming amidst a municipal recruitment scam investigation involving Mitra's family.
A rebel Trinamool Congress faction, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, has named candidates for two assembly bypolls in West Bengal, directly challenging the Mamata Banerjee-led camp. This move escalates the internal party battle, particularly over the 'twin flowers' symbol, which both factions claim. The Election Commission is currently reviewing the dispute, and the bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar will serve as a crucial electoral test for both sides.
Mamata Banerjee, who founded the Trinamool Congress through an act of rebellion against the Congress, now faces a similar internal revolt that threatens the very identity of her party. The Election Commission's interim decision to withhold the TMC name and symbol for the upcoming bypolls highlights a deeper struggle for political inheritance. This situation, unprecedented for the party, forces both Mamata's loyalists and rebels to seek electoral recognition without their established identity, marking a significant challenge to her long-standing dominance.
The Trinamool Congress has launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government over rising fuel prices, economic concerns, and exam irregularities, accusing the Centre of betraying citizens.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, citing misrule and corruption, and urged voters to elect the BJP for development and progress.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the University of Oxford, stressed the importance of inclusive development and stated that division in society is counterproductive. She emphasized that her governance model prioritizes the welfare of all sections of society and does not allow discrimination, highlighting the state's diverse population and the need for a human-centric approach.
'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?'
The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to resolve the contentious dispute between the rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress over its party name and crucial 'flowers and grass' election symbol within three months of the completion of pleadings.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke met Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in Delhi, thanking her for supporting youth-led protests and extending solidarity with the INDIA bloc's upcoming rally against alleged "vote chori." CJP, however, stated it would maintain its independent identity and not formally join the Sunday protest.
West Bengal's annual July 21 Martyrs' Day observance has transformed into an unprecedented political contest, with three rival camps - Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, a breakaway TMC faction, and the Congress - holding parallel programmes in central Kolkata, each vying for legacy and organisational strength.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has released its manifesto for the West Bengal Assembly polls, outlining 10 key pledges focused on expanding welfare schemes, improving healthcare access, and developing infrastructure.
Mamata Banerjee, former West Bengal chief minister and TMC supremo, alleged that her party leaders were kept under "house arrest" and prevented from attending a rally in Serampore. She accused BJP workers of blocking routes and the police of inaction, comparing the situation to "atrocities" seen in African countries.
Announcing the decision of the MPs, Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien at a press conference in Delhi said that she has been the guiding force behind the Trinamool Congress parliamentary party for a long time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, accusing it of misrule and hindering the state's progress. He appealed to voters to remove the TMC from power in the upcoming assembly elections, promising development and a corruption-free government under the BJP.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of appeasing Muslims and protecting infiltrators, while the BJP promises to bring 'Ram Rajya' to the state if elected.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has released its manifesto for the West Bengal Assembly polls, outlining 10 key pledges focused on expanding welfare schemes, improving healthcare access, and developing infrastructure.
Asked why she is not taking the charge of the bloc, given her credentials as a strong anti-BJP force, Banerjee said, "If given the opportunity I would ensure its smooth functioning."
The Calcutta High Court has directed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress to hold its July 21 Martyrs' Day rally near the Birla Planetarium instead of its traditional venue in front of Victoria House, citing concerns over traffic flow and law and order.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has accused the TMC government of turning Kolkata into a 'city of slums' and using infiltrators as a vote bank, sparking a strong reaction from the TMC, which accused him of insulting the people of Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee, former West Bengal chief minister, updated her social media profiles to reflect her position as Founder Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister of West Bengal, despite the party's recent electoral defeat.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged voters to 'take revenge' for the deletion of names from electoral rolls, alleging the BJP is behind the changes. She also addressed concerns about EVM tampering and the deployment of officers to other states.
Trinamool Congress leader Krishna Chakraborty has resigned as the mayor of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, citing personal reasons. A long-time associate of Mamata Banerjee, Chakraborty served for 16 years and expressed a desire to work as a councillor.
Speculation about a possible rapprochement or merger between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has exposed deep divisions within the Congress's West Bengal unit, with senior state leaders vocally opposing any alliance with Mamata Banerjee.
Senior Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra on Tuesday gave party supremo Mamata Banerjee a one-month ultimatum to "leave Abhishek's hand" and reconnect with grassroot workers, while asking the Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to admit his "mistakes".
Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a meeting of newly-elected MLAs of her party and stated she will not resign from her post in the wake of assembly poll results and the Centre can dismiss her.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister's faction has announced support for the Congress candidate in the Nandigram assembly bypoll, marking a significant shift in state politics. This move comes amidst an internal party dispute within the Trinamool Congress and is seen as an attempt to consolidate anti-BJP votes and strengthen the INDIA bloc, despite a history of acrimonious rivalry between the two parties.
A poster with death threats to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, party's general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, appeared in Uluberia in West Bengal's Howrah district on Friday, police said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a strong attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her government of appeasement politics, encouraging illegal immigration for votes, and leading the state into misrule and corruption.
The TMC is facing a crisis following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly polls and a rebellion that has significantly weakened its organisational and legislative strength.
Rajya Sabha MP Sukhen Shekhar Ray has resigned from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and his parliamentary seat, adding to the party's ongoing internal crisis and political turmoil.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has invited Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee for a meeting on June 19 to discuss the party's internal split. This comes after 20 rebel TMC MPs sought recognition as a separate group following their merger with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. Birla plans to hear both factions before making a decision, while Banerjee has argued against recognising any separate group within the AITC, citing anti-defection laws and a recent Supreme Court judgment.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress has filed fresh police complaints against dissident leader Ritabrata Banerjee and his associates. The complaints accuse the rebels of illegally using the party's name, symbol, and designations to mislead workers, marking a significant escalation in the month-long internal struggle following the assembly poll defeat.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Chandrima Bhattacharya has resigned as the party's West Bengal president and from all other posts, citing a loss of trust after an admonishment from Mamata Banerjee. She has since been seen meeting with the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction, further deepening the organisational crisis within the TMC following its recent Assembly election defeat.
The battle for the Trinamool Congress' name and election symbol is spilling into the Nandigram bypoll, with the rebel faction asking party supremo Mamata Banerjee to contest from there, promising not to field a candidate against her.
The West Bengal Congress on Tuesday held its Martyrs' Day programme in Kolkata after several years, commemorating the youth wing workers killed in the 1993 police firing, and said the attendance at the gathering marked the party's revival in the state.
