West Bengal's chief minister-elect Suvendu Adhikari announced the beginning of 'Sonar Bangla' with the formation of the first BJP government in the state, heralding an era of 'peace and prosperity'. The oath-taking ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other prominent figures, marks a significant political shift for West Bengal.
"Jai Bangla" was a popular slogan during the Bangladesh liberation war, while the BJP is promising people to make the state "Sonar Bangla" if voted to power in the coming assembly election.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that central forces will remain deployed in West Bengal for at least seven more days after the assembly elections, assuring voters of security during and after the polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated senior BJP worker Makhanlal Sarkar at a swearing-in ceremony in West Bengal. Sarkar, 98, is an early grassroots figure associated with the nationalist movement. Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the state's first BJP Chief Minister after defeating Mamata Banerjee.
Mamata Banerjee accuses the BJP of importing voters for the Assam elections and plotting similar interference in West Bengal, raising concerns about electoral integrity and potential cultural restrictions.
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.
Uttam Ghosh offers his take on the unusual events that have occurred within Modi-Shah's BJP.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has criticised the TMC government in West Bengal, alleging that its policies have led to increased infiltration and threaten national security. He framed the upcoming elections as a battle against these issues, promising change if the BJP comes to power.
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.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah sharpened the BJP's campaign for the West Bengal assembly polls, releasing a 'charge sheet' against the TMC government and framing the election as a battle for the country's security.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of playing the 'victim card' and pushing the state towards destruction. He promised to end the TMC's 'syndicate raj' and ensure justice for women if the BJP is voted to power.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims about the state's fish production, accusing him of misrepresenting facts and alleging restrictions on non-vegetarian food consumption in BJP-ruled states.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has instructed police to register a treason case against Congress leaders for allegedly singing the Bangladesh national anthem at a party meeting. The move has sparked controversy and accusations of disrespect towards India's national anthem.
BJP chief J P Nadda on Thursday launched 'Lokkho Sonar Bangla' (target to build golden Bengal) manifesto crowdsourcing campaign to seek suggestions from more than two crore people in West Bengal ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday unveiled its manifesto for the West Bengal elections, promising to build a 'Sonar Bangla' by providing employment, strengthening social security schemes and vowing to clear the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act in the first cabinet meeting of the new government.
The prime minister said that Netaji is the biggest source of inspiration for the dream of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-reliant India) and 'Sonar Bangla' (Golden Bengal).
'This is the Bengal story, where businesses are nurtured, dreams are realised, and legacies are built.'
Each year Rabindra Jayanti is celebrated with fervour and festivity across Bangladesh.
' I have seen PM Modi working diligently from 5 am in the morning to 1 am. It is a result of that there is such a large cadre with him'
The former BJP president is learnt to have instructed the party leaders to start working on quelling the unrest within party cadre, genuine or sponsored.
When the BJP forms government in Bengal, the chief minister will be a son of the soil, he said at the rally amid loud cheers from his supporters.
The BJP has fielded Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta as its candidate for the Tarakeshwar seat in the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections.
Shah said not a single person will lose citizenship as a result of the Citizenship Amendment Act.
This Muri Ghonto recipe has its origins in former East Bengal, present-day Bangladesh.
He also accused her of nepotism by choosing to play the limited role of "bua" (aunt) to her "bhatija" (nephew) instead of becoming "Didi" (elder sister) to the people.
Noting that the Trinamool Congress which boasts of the slogan 'Maa Mati Mansuh' (Mother, Land and people) actually indulges in extortion, corruption and appeasement, Shah exuded confidence of forming the next government in the state and take it to the path of development.
'Beijing is comfortable with Hasina's pragmatism -- perceived as 'pro-India', but staying out of Indian orbit and receptive to forging close ties with China and yet, siding with neither neighbour,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Union Home Minister and top Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Shah on Thursday set a target of 200 out of the total 294 seats in the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections and to come to power in the state, party sources said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said there is no alternative to the Trinamool Congress, and no other party can take its place in the state.
Former Bengal pace spearhead Ashoke Dinda, who is fighting from the Moyna constituency in Purba Medinipur district, said the BJP desperately wants BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly to join the party.
Shah also rejected West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to a temple of the Matua community -- which is in sizeable number in the state -- during his trip to Bangladesh violated the poll code.
Former Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday, weeks after he announced quitting his Rajya Sabha membership on the floor of the House deploring 'violence' in poll-bound West Bengal.
'They are our go-to men, our trouble-shooters.' 'They draw their strength from remaining low-key and accessible only to our workers.'
Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are contesting in all the 30 seats, while the Communist Party of India-Marxist is in the fray in 15 and its alliance partners of Sanjukta Morcha the Congress and ISF are competing in 13 and two seats respectively.
Over 1.54 crore voters in the eastern states of West Bengal and Assam will exercise their franchise in the 1st phase of polling
Shah, who held a closed door meeting to take stock of the party organisation, said he could 'sense massive public anger' against the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government in the state and gave a call to 'uproot' it in the state polls.
Referring to infiltrators as "termites", who are eating into the resources of this country, the BJP boss said his party will throw them out from Bengal after coming to power at the Centre for a second term
Will appeasement, rising unemployment and her dictatorial style become major obstacles in her path? asks Payal Singh Mohanka.
