State party leaders admit that Hindu consolidation by itself was not good enough to unseat Didi.
However, no fresh incident of violence was reported from the area since Wednesday night, the police said adding that the situation was 'under control'.
The combined vote share of the Left Front was also reduced to nearly 24 per cent from 41 per cent in 2011.
Referring to state BJP president Dilip Ghosh's allegation that its workers were provoked by the police, he said, "They had carried arms. Is it then a provocation if the police took action? Action will be taken if there is any violation of law."
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various places that went to polls on Saturday during the first phase of the West Bengal assembly election, even as the overall poll situation was largely peaceful with 79.79 per cent turnout recorded till the end of voting, an official said.
With details of affidavit filed by the intern in molestation case becoming public, Law Minister Kapil Sibal virtually put the onus of action against Justice A K Ganguly on the Supreme Court amid demands for filing of a case against him and resignation as head of West Bengal Human Rights Commission.
In its sway over national politics now, the Modi-Shah BJP is what the Congress was under Indira Gandhi. Why would they indulge coalition partners, their greed and egos now, asks Shekhar Gupta.
The 41st meeting of the GST Council, to be held via video conferencing, has just one agenda for discussion -- making up for shortfall in states' revenues, sources said.
'Kejriwal tries to project that his party is not Hindu virodhi.'
Talk of a blackout by other news channels in solidarity remained inconclusive because of the heavy news agenda on that day.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the state governments have been asked to identify Rohingya refugees in their regions and collect their biometric details.
The remaining two One-Day Internationals between India and South Africa will be played in empty stadiums following an order by the government to combat the spread of coronavirus. While the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) confirmed that Lucknow ODI will be held behind closed doors, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has also put ticket sales on hold with immediate effect, an indicator of things to come.
The Congress and Left Front on Thursday finalised sharing of 193 seats of the total 294 in West Bengal assembly with the Left parties getting the lion's share of 101 seats.
Expressing deep concern over the recent act of violence against doctors, Vardhan stated that incidents of assault on doctors are reported from different parts of the country and this leads to sudden strike by doctors, gravely affecting the healthcare services.
A combative Rao, who claimed the I-T search warrant did not have his name, repeatedly invoked the legacy of former chief minister, the late J Jayalalithaa, and asked if raids would have occurred at his office had she been alive.
Leaders from all political parties congratulated the saffron party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Cross-voting by Left and Congress MLAs on Friday helped Trinamool Congress gain an extra seat in West Bengal while a similar action by Congress MLAs in Andhra Pradesh saw the Telangana Rashtra Samithi making its debut in Rajya Sabha as high drama marked the polls to the upper House in the two states.
Sporadic violence marked the third phase of panchayat elections in West Bengal on Friday covering three districts of Howrah, North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas where an average 25 per cent polling was recorded in the first four hours of voting.
Two of the injured were rushed to a Kolkata hospital in serious condition, while the rest are out of danger.
Indian forces are doing what they have to do to protect the country, whether it is in terms of deployment, action or counter-action, Modi told political leaders.
'People residing in the enclaves have led completely isolated lives. They are stateless, have no official identity proof.' 'It is significant that Modi, Banerjee, Sarkar and Gogoi, despite having different political ideologies, are walking in tandem for the cause of the people residing in the enclaves.' 'If the LBA betters the economy of India and Bangladesh, there will be less turmoil in both these countries.'
In an interview to Republic Bharat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of the BJP's prospects in the polls, emergence of an Opposition front, dynastic politics and several other issues.
'The government must have armed security personnel for doctors and only then they can go and serve people.'
The Bharatiya Janata Party decided to put on hold Shah's proposed rally and the Rath Yatra, saying it will wait for the final order from the high court, which will now hear an appeal by the saffron party on Friday morning.
State sheds laggard tag, emerges as leader among peers.
There are lessons for the Congress to learn from the Karnataka elections of how burying the hatchet among top leaders and not washing dirty linen in public can help, says Ramesh Menon.
The BJP chief also sought to know whether the Congress wanted to protect the "illegal Bangldeshis".
The EC has deployed 580 companies of central forces to man over 98 per cent of the polling booths in these constituencies to ensure free and fair polling.
Official celebrations in most states were restricted to unfurling of the national flag and chief ministers and governors addressing the people, with fewer guests in attendance.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to declare Trinamool Congress as a 'terrorist party', upping the ante against the ruling party after political clashes in Birbhum violence left three people dead.
KD Singh has been found guilty of illegal fund raising.
'The EC seems to have killed the joy of elections by stretching it interminably.' 'Imagine watching Andhadhun in a six-hour format and you will get the point,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
The uncertainty over Pakistan's participation in the World Twenty20 finally ended on Friday after the country's cricket team received government clearance to travel to India following assurances of security from the host nation.
As electoral sails shift in the dynamic political winds of West Bengal, two factors may still change the electoral equations are how the BJP fares this time and how Muslims are going to vote. Mayank Mishra reports.
New Delhi has been in 'close contact' with the Bhutan government on the unfolding developments.
The meeting was convened by the Congress. Six major parties -- the DMK, the SP, the BSP, the TMC, the AAP and the Shiv Sena -- choose to stay away. The BJP took a swipe at the absence of major opposition parties at the meet and also said that their anti-CAA resolution must've made Pak happy.
Addressing a press conference, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chadoni said if the Centre does not accept their demands during Saturday's talks, they will intensify their agitation against the new farm laws.
The National Democratic Alliance government's parliamentary managers have a busy weekend ahead, says Rediff.com contributor Anita Katyal.
Many anticipate that by the 2021 assembly elections in West Bengal, the BJP may come to power, says Mohammad Sajjad.
Some parties complained to the Election Commission alleging violation of the model code.
