Mamata Banerjee appeared before the Calcutta High Court alleging police inaction during post-poll violence in West Bengal and sought judicial intervention to protect citizens.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
The TMC is facing a crisis following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly polls and a rebellion that has significantly weakened its organisational and legislative strength.
The Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has completed one year, leading to the deletion of nearly six crore voters across 19 states and Union territories. This exercise, which began in Bihar, has faced opposition criticism but was upheld by the Supreme Court. The purification drive has significant implications, including linking voter data to social security benefits in some states.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers and leaders of the National Democratic Alliance allies on Tuesday attended the ruling coalition's weekly meeting of parliamentarians, where the absence of three Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) MPs stood out amid signs of differences within the 20-member group of Trinamool Congress rebels over its association with the alliance.
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.
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Chandrima Bhattacharya has resigned as the party's West Bengal president and from all other posts, citing a loss of trust after an admonishment from Mamata Banerjee. She has since been seen meeting with the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction, further deepening the organisational crisis within the TMC following its recent Assembly election defeat.
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has urged the Congress and CPI(M) to set aside their differences and unite under the INDIA bloc to fight the BJP in West Bengal. This marks a significant shift in the TMC's stance, which has historically been a bitter rival to the Congress and Left in the state.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari denies political vendetta in the signature forgery probe involving TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, stating the investigation stems from complaints by TMC MLAs.
Less than two months after ending the TMC's 15-year rule in the state, the BJP government is expected to table one of its most ambitious and politically sensitive promises, setting the stage for what could become the first major ideological confrontation of the post-election period.
The move has sparked a political row, with the opposition accusing the BJP of promoting a vegetarian agenda.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP for allegedly attempting to divide people on religious and caste lines during a community outreach programme in her Bhabanipur constituency.
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.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP for allegedly deleting names from electoral rolls and attempting to divide people on religious and caste lines during a community outreach programme in her Bhabanipur constituency.
Appellate tribunals in West Bengal have only disposed of a small fraction of the appeals filed against decisions made during the electoral roll revision, raising concerns about the efficiency of the process.
Trinamool Congress supporters protested against an Election Commission-appointed IPS officer in West Bengal, accusing him of intimidating party workers ahead of the second phase of polling.
The Election Commission is yet to disclose the number of voters whose names have been included or deleted following the SIR adjudication process in poll-bound West Bengal.
The BJP has released its election manifesto for West Bengal, promising a hardline stance on infiltration, financial assistance for women and unemployed youth, and the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission for state employees.
West Bengal police have seized a staggering Rs 28.5 crore in cash and 15 kg of gold from the residence of absconding stone trader Tullu Mondal's manager and brother-in-law, Minar Mondal, in Birbhum district, leading to his arrest.
The Congress party has accused the government of scheduling a 'special session' to pass bills related to women's quota and delimitation with the intention of gaining political advantage in the upcoming West Bengal and Tamil Nadu elections, calling it a violation of the model code of conduct.
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.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of deploying its entire machinery, including Union ministers and NDA-ruled state CMs, to defeat her party in the West Bengal assembly elections. She also criticised the BJP's promises to migrant workers and alleged the misuse of central forces during the polls.
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll in all 285 polling booths of the Falta assembly constituency in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on May 21, following reports of severe electoral offences and subversion of the democratic process during the second phase of the assembly elections.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asserted that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will return to power with a two-thirds majority in the 2026 Assembly elections in the state and ruled out the possibility of stitching any alliance with the Congress. Banerjee's statement comes amidst speculation over a possible Congress-TMC understanding in West Bengal, following the removal of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as state Congress president and the appointment of Subhankar Sarkar. However, Banerjee has categorically stated that the TMC will fight alone and secure a historic victory. The Congress, on the other hand, has responded by saying that regional parties are bothered about the Congress because they have realised their mistake in ignoring the party during the Delhi polls. The BJP has downplayed Banerjee's remarks, stating that the TMC's defeat in the upcoming elections is inevitable. The West Bengal Assembly elections are likely to be held in April-May next year.
The Calcutta High Court dismissed a plea challenging the Election Commission's directive to deploy central government and PSU employees for vote counting in the West Bengal Assembly elections.
West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu has accused the BJP of planning detention camps for Bengali-speaking citizens in the state if they come to power, alleging a conspiracy to deport those whose names are missing from the electoral roll.
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have been fiscally stressed for a considerable period of time, and there are no easy ways to mobilise revenues to meet the cost of the promised freebies, particularly in the prevailing difficult economic scenario, points out M Govinda Rao.
The CBI has arrested two individuals, Vikas Mishra and Golu Singh, in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, an aide to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Another accused, Gyanendra Pratap Singh alias Monu, has surrendered. The CBI is continuing its investigation into the high-profile case.
An FIR has been registered against former West Bengal chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee for allegedly making provocative remarks during the last assembly poll campaign, with a complaint stating her comments were 'capable of promoting enmity between communities'.
Police in West Bengal have arrested four people for allegedly attacking Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee during his visit to Sonarpur. The arrests followed an incident where Banerjee's convoy was pelted with stones and eggs, leading to a chaotic situation. Banerjee, who was visiting victims of post-poll violence, claimed BJP activists were trying to kill him. The incident has sparked political reactions, with the Trinamool Congress blaming the BJP, while the BJP denies involvement.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the BJP would not allow any intruders into West Bengal if they win the state election, and would selectively root out illegal immigrants already present.
The West Bengal Congress on Tuesday held its Martyrs' Day programme in Kolkata after several years, commemorating the youth wing workers killed in the 1993 police firing, and said the attendance at the gathering marked the party's revival in the state.
The Election Commission reports a significant reduction in West Bengal's electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision, with nearly 9.1 million voters deleted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the TMC's governance in West Bengal is nearing its end, citing corruption and unfulfilled promises. He highlighted the BJP's commitment to development and security, particularly for the fisherfolk and against infiltration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the TMC of sheltering goons who torture women and promised citizenship to refugees in West Bengal. He highlighted the BJP's commitment to women's security by giving poll tickets to victims of violence.
The BJP's West Bengal unit chief, Samik Bhattacharya, criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, accusing it of crushing democracy and fostering lawlessness in the state. He highlighted alleged political violence, economic decline, and disrespect for constitutional posts under the TMC's rule.
The BJP will focus on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development agenda in the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, rather than projecting a chief ministerial candidate, according to state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise of a 'white paper' on corruption in West Bengal, highlighting instances of opposition leaders joining the BJP and allegedly receiving leniency in corruption investigations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged past the halfway mark in the West Bengal assembly elections, leading in 185 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 91, signalling a potential political shift in the state. Early trends suggest a geographically split mandate, with the BJP gaining in border, tribal, and industrial regions, while the TMC holds ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
The Election Commission of India has prohibited the conduct and dissemination of exit polls from April 9 to April 29 during the upcoming assembly elections in several states. Violators face imprisonment or fines.
