West Bengal could be the Bharatiya Janata Party's real test case of its business-friendly policies, points out Kanika Datta.
The Election Commission has informed the Supreme Court that over 37 lakh appeals concerning deletions or inclusions in West Bengal's electoral rolls remain pending under the Special Intensive Revision. The apex court-appointed tribunals have disposed of only a fraction of the 38.20 lakh appeals filed, prompting the Supreme Court to seek data and a plan for streamlining the adjudication process.
An Independent candidate for the Rejinagar assembly bypoll in West Bengal, Saiful Islam, was arrested in a five-year-old case related to a clash during the 2021 state elections. This follows another bypoll nominee's arrest, highlighting pre-election tensions. The AJUP chief also faces a notice, and a party secretary was arrested with illegal arms and fake currency.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the state government will introduce a new recruitment policy in the next Budget session to address irregularities and scams that occurred during the previous Trinamool Congress government.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has expressed confidence that the BJP will form a government in West Bengal, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and citing high voter turnout as a sign of public trust.
If West Bengal does not begin to reclaim its lost pride, the state would have lost -- perhaps irreversibly, this time, notes Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has demanded the imposition of president's rule in West Bengal, citing alleged attacks on Trinamool Congress MPs and accusing the BJP government of sponsoring violence and undermining democracy.
The West Bengal government has mandated the singing of 'Vande Mataram' at assembly prayers in all madrassas with immediate effect. This decision follows a similar directive for all schools in the state and aims to bring uniformity in assembly practices across institutions.
The West Bengal government has appointed Rajdeep Majumder as the state's new additional advocate general, while N G Khaitan will take over as the advocate on record, original side, at the Calcutta High Court.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed the West Bengal government's decision to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme, highlighting the benefits for the state's residents.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that West Bengal has gained infamy due to recruitment scams during the previous government and that there is a need to improve the state's image.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused the BJP of attempting to manipulate the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections by submitting a large number of Form 6 applications to illegally register voters from outside the state.
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.
The West Bengal government has restored general consent for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases involving central government employees and public sector undertakings within the state. This decision reverses a 2018 move by the previous Trinamool Congress government to withdraw such consent, allowing the CBI to operate more freely in these specific matters.
A trader in Siliguri, West Bengal, has lodged a police complaint against Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee for alleged provocative remarks made during the recent Assembly polls, targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
A Trinamool Congress panchayat chief was found dead inside his house in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, which comes after residents accused him of corruption.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari held a meeting with top officials to review the law and order situation in the state and ensure the smooth functioning of existing government schemes.
142 assembly seats will go to the polls on April 29 in phase 2.
In West Bengal's political circles, it was widely believed that after Mamata Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikhari was perhaps the only leader with a truly significant mass base of his own.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the Congress party of indirectly supporting the BJP in West Bengal, urging voters to reject them in the upcoming elections. He alleged a nexus between the Congress, BJP, and Left parties, claiming that votes for Congress would split the opposition and benefit the BJP.
Following their success in the West Bengal assembly elections, BJP leaders are now focusing on winning the Punjab assembly polls in 2027, promising to rid the state of corruption and drugs under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda launched a scathing attack on the TMC in West Bengal, accusing it of appeasement politics, shielding infiltrators, and presiding over a corrupt and lawless regime.
Out of the 294 West Bengal Assembly seats, 152 will go to the polls in the first phase on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
The polling for the Tamil Nadu Elections will take place on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Out of the 294 assembly seats, 152 seats in West Bengal will go to polls in the first phase on Thursday.
West Bengal CID officials visited the state Assembly as part of their ongoing investigation into the alleged forgery of MLAs' signatures for the appointment of the leader of opposition, seeking a crucial party resolution document.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the TMC government in West Bengal, alleging the closure of numerous industries and a decline in the state's cultural and economic status.
The BJP's West Bengal unit chief, Samik Bhattacharya, has criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, accusing it of crushing democracy and creating a lawless environment in the state. He highlighted political violence, rising debt, and a lack of investor confidence as key issues under the TMC's rule.
Suvendu Adhikari and Dilip Ghosh are the top contenders for West Bengal Chief Minister.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in a roadshow in Kharagpur Sadar, West Bengal, attracting large crowds and highlighting the BJP's campaign efforts in the region ahead of the assembly elections.
The West Bengal government has further scaled down security arrangements for several political leaders, former officials, and other prominent individuals after a review of threat perceptions.
The West Bengal government has initiated a re-verification process for all caste certificates issued since 2011, following allegations of irregularities during the previous administration.
Polling for West Bengal's remaining 142 assembly seats will be held in the second phase on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami criticised the Trinamool Congress' governance in West Bengal, citing issues such as increased infiltration, corruption, and atrocities against women during a rally in Hingalganj.
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.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP of conspiring to delete 2.7 million voters from West Bengal's electoral rolls, urging support for the Trinamool Congress to protect citizenship rights.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP-led central government of planning to increase fuel prices after the West Bengal assembly elections. He challenged the BJP to promise no price hikes for LPG, petrol, and diesel over the next five years.
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.
Former West Bengal minister Sujit Bose has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged municipality recruitment scam.
Addressing party legislators after being elected the leader of the BJP legislature party, Adhikari said the atmosphere of fear in Bengal had ended and asserted that the state would now move towards an era of "trust".
