Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of being 'anti-women' and obstructing the passage of the women's reservation bill in Lok Sabha. He criticised the TMC's opposition to the bill and defended the BJP's commitment to increasing women's representation in politics.
The footballer, who contested elections twice as a Trinamool Congress candidate and lost both times, took to social media to announce his decision.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged TMC candidates and agents to remain vigilant at counting centres, alleging a 'game plan' by the BJP and the Election Commission to show the BJP taking an early lead.
Opposition leaders have criticised the alliance between AIMIM and a suspended TMC MLA for the West Bengal Assembly elections, fearing it will divide votes and weaken secular parties.
Former Union minister Dinesh Trivedi has been appointed as India's next High Commissioner to Bangladesh, signalling efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
The INDIA bloc faces challenges after recent state election defeats for key members like TMC and DMK, potentially shifting internal dynamics and leadership considerations.
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.
The extent of doubts over the fairness of this election can be assessed by juxtaposing two figures: Total votes polled by the two principal parties and the number of people who were disallowed from voting this time, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
Exit polls suggest significant shifts in Indian state assembly elections, forecasting BJP gains in West Bengal and Assam, a DMK comeback in Tamil Nadu, and a tight race in Kerala.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticises the Congress and its allies for the defeat of the Constitution amendment bill aimed at implementing 33 per cent women's quota in legislative bodies before the 2029 Parliamentary polls.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticised the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal for allegedly failing to implement central agriculture schemes, claiming injustice to farmers.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has urged voters to support the TMC as the only way to defeat the BJP, particularly in areas with a strong Congress base. He accused the BJP of dividing communities and failing to address key issues such as river erosion and farmer distress, while outlining the TMC's welfare plans.
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.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee will hold a virtual meeting with counting agents to ensure there are no lapses during the vote counting process.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of betraying women by obstructing the passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which aimed to reserve 33 per cent of seats in Parliament and state assemblies for women. Modi asserted that women in West Bengal would punish the TMC in the upcoming assembly elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, promising development, accountability, and an end to corruption if the BJP wins the upcoming assembly elections.
Former cricketer and Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan's father-in-law and two others have been arrested for allegedly assaulting a man in a road rage incident in Mumbai.
Indian stock markets are poised for volatility this week, driven primarily by the outcomes of five state assembly elections, ongoing high crude oil prices amid West Asia tensions, and the release of Q4 corporate earnings, according to market analysts.
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.
Incidents of violence and vandalism were reported from parts of West Bengal during the early hours of voting in the second phase of the assembly elections on Wednesday, police said. The incidents were reported from multiple locations, including Chapra, Shantipur, Nimtala and Bhangar, they said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid tribute to B R Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, emphasising his legacy's role in guiding efforts to protect democracy and ensure an inclusive society.
The BJP's West Bengal unit chief, Samik Bhattacharya, criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, accusing it of crushing democracy and fostering lawlessness in the state. He highlighted alleged political violence, economic decline, and disrespect for constitutional posts under the TMC's rule.
Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives for women's empowerment, citing the Swachh Bharat Mission and PM Awas Yojana. He also criticised the Trinamool Congress government's handling of food distribution and women's security in the state.
The Chaurabasti area of Shivpur turned into a flashpoint of political violence on Thursday as supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reportedly engaged in a violent face-off.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused the BJP of orchestrating raids on premises linked to I-PAC executives to disrupt their election campaign in West Bengal, alleging vendetta politics and interference in the electoral process.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien has challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims about India's progress, citing poverty statistics and West Bengal's economic growth.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the central government of withholding funds from West Bengal to punish voters for supporting the TMC, while highlighting state-led initiatives to support the population.
TMC workers allege that cars bearing the BJP's flag were allowed entry to the compound where EVMs are kept, a day ahead of the counting of votes in West Bengal. The Election Commission has denied any irregularities.
Exit polls predict a BJP victory in Assam and an edge in West Bengal, a DMK government in Tamil Nadu, and a Congress-led UDF comeback in Kerala.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP government of conspiring against Indian citizens by deleting names from electoral rolls and diverting attention from core issues.
The Trinamool Congress government's massive defeat in West Bengal shows "deep anti-incumbency and unpopularity" as out of 35 ministers who contested the assembly elections, 22 have been defeated, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her constituency.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to resign, citing hypocrisy in Shah's call for 'clean politics' given his past arrest. Banerjee also criticised the Election Commission and defended his party's record.
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.
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 nepotism, corruption, bad governance and 15 years of rampant crime that has happened across West Bengal under her rule led to her ouster.'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the TMC will return to power for a fourth consecutive term, urging opposition parties to unite against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
Supporters of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and the ruling TMC clashed in West Bengal's Murshidabad district during the first phase of the state assembly polls, leading to police intervention and heightened security measures.
'If the Opposition associates itself too much with the minorities, then it becomes easy for the BJP to get Hindu consolidation votes.'
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has urged BJP candidate Ratna Debnath to appeal to PM Modi to ensure the Aparajita Bill, aimed at time-bound punishment for rape convicts, is enacted.
What lessons opposition parties need to learn post defeat of Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal elections? The election saw spectacular victor of BJP which rose from 3 seats in 2016 to 206 seats in 2026 assembly elections.
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