The IMD has forecast thunderstorms and gusty winds across south Bengal on Saturday, the day the first BJP government in West Bengal is scheduled to be sworn in at the Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata. Rain and thundershowers are likely to occur across all districts until May 14.
The state will be referred to as Bangla in Hindi and Bengal in English.
The Election Commission reports that poll-related seizures, including cash, drugs, and liquor, have surpassed 1,000 crore in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has stated that his government has no information regarding alleged post-poll violence, as claimed by the opposition TMC. He assured that action would be taken after verifying any such charges. The statement came in response to allegations raised in the West Bengal assembly by Leader of the Opposition Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.
The Calcutta High Court has granted interim protection to actor Parambrata Chatterjee from any coercive action by the police regarding an alleged social media post following the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections.
A group of dissident Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs, led by Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, plans to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to seek recognition as the 'real TMC' parliamentary group, claiming the support of 19 members amidst an escalating internal party crisis.
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.
Barely days after losing control of its legislature party in the West Bengal assembly, the Trinamool Congress is now staring at an even bigger political nightmare -- the possibility of the rebellion spreading to its parliamentary ranks.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised one lakh jobs for youths each year based on merit if the BJP won the West Bengal election, and also pledged to make the state free of infiltrators.
The BJP has appointed Amit Shah and JP Nadda as central observers for the election of legislative party leaders in West Bengal and Assam, respectively, following recent assembly poll victories.
The Election Commission has announced a stringent security plan for the second phase of the West Bengal assembly polls, ensuring voters can exercise their franchise without fear. Security personnel will be deployed constituency-wise, and area domination exercises will be stepped up in sensitive neighbourhoods. CCTV cameras will be installed at every polling station, and central forces will remain deployed at booths.
Newly appointed Bengal Industries Minister Tapas Roy has announced ambitious plans to attract significant investments, particularly from the Tata Group, to revive industrial growth in West Bengal. He aims to restore investor confidence, bring back businesses that left the state, and create an industry-friendly environment focused on manufacturing, services, and renewable energy.
The West Bengal government plans to introduce two new bills in the Assembly to address public disorder, vandalism, and attacks on police and public servants. One bill will amend the existing Public Order Act, 1972, while the other, titled the Public Safety Control and Anti-Social Activity Bill, will comprehensively strengthen public safety measures. These legislative changes aim to curb incidents of violence and allow for compensation recovery from offenders.
The Election Commission reports a significant reduction in West Bengal's electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision, with nearly 9.1 million voters deleted.
The Election Commission reports a significant increase in seizures of inducements during recent assembly elections, with Tamil Nadu leading in cash seizures and West Bengal in liquor and drugs.
The BJP is set to form its first government in West Bengal, with the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for May 9 at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. The event is expected to be attended by prominent BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Uproarious scenes on the concluding day of the special session on Thursday turned the West Bengal Assembly into a cauldron of chaos, as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's speech was repeatedly drowned out by slogan-shouting, leading to the suspension of five Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs and the collapse of two legislators during forcible eviction by marshalls.
Former West Bengal minister and TMC leader Sujit Bose appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged municipality recruitment scam. This is not the first time Bose has been summoned, with previous notices issued during the West Bengal Assembly election period.
The decision comes hours after dissident TMC MLAs moved the assembly speaker seeking recognition as a separate legislature party, deepening the crisis within the organisation following its recent electoral setback.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has dismissed "baseless" rumours of a possible merger with the Congress, despite recent meetings between TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, which occurred amidst significant internal rebellion within the TMC following its recent electoral defeat in West Bengal.
The BJP achieved a clean sweep in nine districts of West Bengal, securing all 68 seats in these regions during the recent election. This victory marks a significant shift in the state's political landscape, ending the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule and establishing the BJP's dominance.
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.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release pending central dues to West Bengal before professing his love for the state. Banerjee also criticised BJP leaders for their reaction to the 'Jai Bangla' slogan and accused the BJP of failing to act on its promise to develop the Sagar islands.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of deploying its entire machinery, including Union ministers and NDA-ruled state CMs, to defeat her party in the West Bengal assembly elections. She also criticised the BJP's promises to migrant workers and alleged the misuse of central forces during the polls.
The Calcutta High Court has granted interim protection to TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee for three weeks in a signature forgery case related to the appointment of the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal assembly. Banerjee was directed to appear before the CID for questioning, which he complied with. The case involves allegations by rebel TMC MLAs that their signatures were forged on a party resolution, prompting a CID investigation.
According to pollster Pradeep Gupta, years of TMC "misrule" that created a "climate of fear", Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma and the organisational abilities of Amit Shah and the RSS brought the BJP to power in West Bengal.
The new BJP government also appointed IAS officer Shantanu Bala as the chief minister's private secretary, according to another notification.
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.
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.
Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed confidence that the party would eventually capture power in the state, drawing parallels to the party's growth in West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led Union government of compromising India's prestige before foreign powers, alleging a 'dictatorial mindset' and attempts to turn West Bengal into a 'colony'.
The NIA has filed chargesheets against 31 individuals in connection with road blockades and illegal detention of judicial officers in West Bengal's Malda district.
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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed BJP workers after the party's performance in assembly elections, urging an end to political violence in West Bengal and a focus on the state's future.
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.
'In West Bengal, the BJP's ideology of Hindutva will be customised to cater to the culture and the cultural imperatives of Bengalis.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Jangipur, West Bengal, promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and addressing concerns about infiltration and demographic changes in the state.
TMC leader Jahangir Khan, a close aide to Abhishek Banerjee, was made to walk through areas of Falta as part of an investigation into the 2021 post-poll violence. Khan, currently in police custody, was arrested while allegedly trying to flee and is being investigated for his role in the alleged violence.
In West Bengal's assembly elections, fish has become a potent symbol of Bengali identity, with the Trinamool Congress and BJP clashing over food habits and cultural representation.
