TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has alleged large-scale irregularities in the West Bengal assembly polls, questioning the counting process and the role of election officials and security forces. He claimed EVMs could be replaced, influencing the election outcome.
Newly elected West Bengal legislators, including Chief Minister Sivendu Adhikari, were sworn into the Assembly on Wednesday. Pro tem Speaker Tapas Roy administered the oath to the new members.
TMC leaders have raised concerns about the vote counting process in the West Bengal Assembly elections, alleging irregularities and lack of cooperation from the Election Commission.
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).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that the BJP would form the next government in West Bengal after the assembly polls, asserting that he would return to the state for the oath-taking ceremony after results are announced on May 4.
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.
Polling for West Bengal's remaining 142 assembly seats will be held in the second phase on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
Politicians and celebrities lined up at polling stations to cast their votes.
The Election Commission is considering holding the West Bengal assembly elections in two phases to mitigate potential poll-related violence, according to a senior official.
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.
The West Bengal State Legislative Assembly has been dissolved by Governor R N Ravi, marking the end of its term after the recent elections where the Trinamool Congress was defeated by 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.
Out of the 294 West Bengal Assembly seats, 152 will go to the polls in the first phase on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the TMC will return to power for a fourth term, urging opposition parties to unite against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. She criticised the BJP's chargesheet against the TMC and alleged corruption in the Haldia dock complex. Banerjee also questioned Prime Minister Modi's claim of being the BJP candidate in all West Bengal seats.
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 commission, however, has not specified how many among these new entrants are first-time voters who have just turned 18, nor has it given a detailed gender break up of these voters.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and West Bengal Election Watch reveals that nearly 23% of candidates in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections have declared criminal cases against themselves.
The TMC has dispatched fact-finding teams to investigate alleged post-poll violence against its workers in West Bengal, accusing BJP-backed individuals of carrying out attacks and intimidation.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a high voter turnout across 152 constituencies, with nearly 90 per cent of electors participating till 5 pm. Polling was conducted amid tight security, with reports of clashes and intimidation in some areas.
142 assembly seats will go to the polls on April 29 in phase 2.
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 Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims that the state lags in fish production, asserting significant increases during her tenure.
Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed confidence in the party's future in the state, drawing parallels with the BJP's growth in West Bengal. He highlighted the party's focus on development and its commitment to addressing people's issues in the Assembly.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at multiple locations in West Bengal as part of an investigation into the operations of an alleged illegal call centre.
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.
A man was detained in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, and over 1 lakh in cash was seized from his possession during a vehicle checking drive ahead of the assembly elections.
Raut, however, didn't specify the number of seats the Sena will contest in Bengal.
Several incidents of post-poll violence have been reported across West Bengal, with tension escalating in various districts following the recent assembly elections. Clashes between political party supporters have led to injuries, arrests, and heightened security measures.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at multiple locations in West Bengal as part of a money laundering investigation into an alleged Public Distribution System (PDS) scam.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has refuted claims by the TMC that the BJP would ban meat and fish consumption if it wins the West Bengal assembly elections. Sarma clarified that only beef consumption is restricted in Assam and accused the TMC of wanting to continue cattle smuggling to Bangladesh for their own benefit.
Bangladesh's deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulated Suvendu Adhikari on assuming office as West Bengal's Chief Minister after the BJP's victory in the state.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met TMC leader Mamata Banerjee to express solidarity after the TMC's defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections. The meeting highlights efforts by opposition parties to strategise and strengthen unity against the BJP.
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.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserts the BJP will form a government in West Bengal and address the issue of infiltration, accusing Mamata Banerjee of allowing it for vote-bank politics.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals that a significant percentage of sitting MLAs in West Bengal, where assembly polls are scheduled, have declared criminal cases against themselves.
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".
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the central government of pressuring the outgoing Governor C V Ananda Bose to resign and alleged that his replacement, R N Ravi, is a BJP cadre.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee accuses the central government of withholding funds from West Bengal to punish voters for supporting the TMC, while highlighting state-led initiatives to support the population.
The TMC has intensified its attack on the BJP, alleging a 'larger conspiracy' involving central agencies ahead of the second phase of West Bengal polls on April 29, while also questioning the credibility of the Election Commission.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, promising development, accountability, and an end to corruption if the BJP wins the upcoming assembly elections.
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