The ruling BJP in West Bengal has suspended 22 functionaries, including several mandal presidents, over allegations of extortion and indiscipline. This action follows public warnings from the party leadership against adopting an 'extortion culture' and comes ahead of a visit by BJP's central in-charge for West Bengal, Sunil Bansal, to review the party's organisation and the new government's functioning.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced plans to enact a stringent law against religious conversion and implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state. He linked these measures to strengthening national security and preserving Bengal's cultural identity, citing concerns over infiltration and demographic changes. Adhikari also highlighted efforts in border security, distinguished between illegal immigrants and CAA refugees, and paid tribute to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
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.
The move has sparked a political row, with the opposition accusing the BJP of promoting a vegetarian agenda.
'BJP wanted a compromised Opposition and found a match in this faction of the Trinamool.'
Three former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MPs, including Sushmita Dev and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday and, within hours, were named the saffron party's candidates for the Rajya Sabha bypolls from West Bengal, underlining both their political rehabilitation and the party's calibrated shift in inducting leaders from the erstwhile ruling dispensation.
Sweet shops across West Bengal are preparing themed sweets in anticipation of the election results, reflecting the charged political atmosphere.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen has returned to Kolkata after nearly 19 years, describing the visit as an emotional homecoming to a city she still considers her own, ahead of a literary event that has acquired political resonance under West Bengal's new BJP government.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin has pledged to change place names deemed antithetical to West Bengal's culture and address Bangladeshi infiltration if the party wins the state election.
The BJP has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of fostering a 'mafia culture' and 'maha jungle raj' in West Bengal following the killing of an aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The party alleges the incident reflects institutionalised post-poll violence in the state and demands a CBI probe.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the TMC, alleging corruption and 'mafia rule' have created an 'identity crisis' in West Bengal. He urged voters to support the BJP in the upcoming elections, promising a 'double-engine' government for development.
'In West Bengal, the BJP's ideology of Hindutva will be customised to cater to the culture and the cultural imperatives of Bengalis.'
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.
After nearly 19 years, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen returned to Kolkata, calling it a deeply emotional homecoming.
'...appearing culturally coercive or administratively vindictive.' 'If it governs as a conquering force, resistance will build.'
The TMC and BJP are clashing over Bengal's food culture, with allegations of potential dietary restrictions adding spice to the West Bengal election campaign.
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.
For India, the guiding principle should remain clear: Engage Bangladesh as a sovereign nation and society rather than through the prism of any individual leader or political party, suggests Manoj Mohanka.
Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground, a historic venue for political rallies and demonstrations, is set to host the swearing-in ceremony of Bengal's first BJP government, marking a significant shift in the state's political landscape. The ground has been a stage for political heavyweights and pivotal moments in Bengal's history.
In a momentous occasion after the Bharatiya Janata Party's win, the Durga temple in Asansol, reopened its doors to devotees after remaining shut for several years.
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.
West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh attended a fish festival, refuting claims that the BJP would restrict fish and meat consumption if it won the assembly elections. He accused former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of spreading false narratives during the campaign.
The West Bengal cabinet has decided to discontinue assistance-oriented schemes based on religious categorisation for Imams, muezzins and purohits from June. The cabinet also approved the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs 3,000 monthly support to women from June 1, and granted in-principle consent for their free travel in state-run buses.
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.
The newly elected BJP-led government in West Bengal will take oath on May 9, coinciding with Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary, according to West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya. He also addressed post-election incidents and urged party workers to celebrate responsibly.
Hopefully, the BJP will realise that it's the right time for parivartan (change) in its polarising poll strategies after achieving the impossible-looking goal of winning West Bengal, argues Sheela Bhatt.
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.
'They probably imagine any hue and cry in the event Sheikh Hasina is hanged will be shortlived as it happened when Bhutto was hanged in Pakistan in 1979.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a strong attack on the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, accusing it of facilitating cultural changes through infiltration, presiding over a 'Maha jungleraj' in tribal areas, and betraying women, farmers, and youths.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin is set to return to Kolkata next month for an anti-fundamentalism literary event, nearly two decades after she was forced to leave the city amid violent protests over her writings. The BJP government in West Bengal is projecting this as a reversal of past capitulation to religious fundamentalism.
Suvendu Adhikari has been elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in West Bengal, paving the way for him to become the state's first BJP 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.
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.
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.
Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the first BJP chief minister of West Bengal, marking the end of the Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule in the state.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the ruling TMC in West Bengal, alleging corruption, extortion, and the rise of 'mafia rule' have led to an 'identity crisis' in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the TMC, accusing the party of looting West Bengal for 15 years, destroying the state's identity through corruption and infiltration, and turning Jadavpur University into a symbol of disorder.
The murder of a close aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in West Bengal has ignited post-election violence, raising concerns about political stability and the transition of power.
On July 16 begins the Puri Rath Yatra for Lord Jagannath. Where else is Lord Jagannath celebrated?
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.
