Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his repeated claims about infiltration in West Bengal, questioning the ministry's failure to prevent terror attacks and raising questions about the status of former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has accused the TMC of conspiring to include infiltrators in electoral rolls, claiming the party objects to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) while those rightfully removed from the rolls did not protest.
AICC leader Pawan Khera has accused the CPI(M) and BJP of having a tacit understanding in the Kerala Assembly elections, alleging that both parties are deliberately fielding weak candidates to help each other. Khera expressed confidence in the Congress-led UDF's victory due to strong anti-incumbency sentiment.
Senior TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has resigned as the Barasat organisational district president, taking 'moral responsibility' for the party's poor performance in the recent West Bengal assembly polls. Her resignation letter and subsequent comments sharply criticised the party's campaign strategy, the influence of election strategist I-PAC, and alleged criminalisation within the party, calling for a return to 'street politics' and engagement with 'honest, old and dedicated workers'.
The announced election schedule for five assemblies reveals fewer phases, a condensed voting period, longer gaps between polling days, and a delayed counting process compared to previous elections.
Nineteen people have been killed so far and a central minister attacked in pre-poll violence.
BJP MLA Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, met West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and criticised TMC leader Mamata Banerjee over her election loss, linking it to her fight for justice in her daughter's case.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Jay Kamdar, a Kolkata businessman, for alleged money laundering. The ED claims Kamdar had close ties with police officers and misused his influence in land-related matters. The investigation is linked to an alleged criminal syndicate led by Biswajit Podder.
Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress overcame the might of the BJP and is all set to be CM for a third term.
Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee shared a poem titled 'Brave' after her party's defeat in the West Bengal Assembly polls. The poem invokes courage, dignity, and inner strength, serving as a message to the TMC cadre.
'...especially pressure on the rupee, the current account deficit, and foreign exchange outflows.' 'The key question over the next several months is whether the government can prevent external turbulence from feeding into domestic economic pessimism.'
Trinamool Congress offices across West Bengal were allegedly defaced and damaged following the BJP's victory in the Assembly polls, with the TMC alleging BJP involvement, which the BJP denies.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responded to Amit Shah's chargesheet against her government, accusing him of misdeeds and alleging the BJP would halt welfare schemes if elected.
'Look at the way SIR that was implemented in Bengal. They wanted to entirely curate the voter list in order to suit their purposes and victory.' 'Look at the targeted deletions and the targeted voting list.' 'The difference between the TMC and the BJP was only about 4% but that 4% vote was done so selectively that the difference ultimately showed up as 100 seats!'
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has launched a strong rebuttal against Union Home Minister Amit Shah's 'chargesheet' on the West Bengal government, accusing the BJP of attempting to polarise the state ahead of elections and failing to address critical issues such as violence in Manipur and women's safety in BJP-ruled states.
Till now, a total of 1,000 companies were earmarked for the conduct of elections in the state that has 294 assembly seats.
West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya refutes Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claims of the BJP bringing in outsiders to cause trouble, accusing her of desperation ahead of the assembly elections and highlighting alleged failures of the TMC government.
The Centre has sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on the circumstances leading to the violence.
The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Election Commission on a plea by Trinamool Congress MPs alleging irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has set an ambitious goal of winning over 215 seats in the 2026 state assembly elections, aiming to secure a fourth consecutive term for the Trinamool Congress (TMC). She declared that the party will work to significantly reduce the BJP's tally and ensure that their candidates struggle to retain their deposits. The TMC's national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, echoed this sentiment, urging party workers to ensure a decisive victory and achieve a two-thirds majority in the upcoming polls. The BJP, however, dismissed the TMC's claims, stating that Banerjee is merely trying to boost morale among party workers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the TMC government in West Bengal of patronizing infiltration, leading to demographic changes and riots. He reassured refugees and promised action against illegal migration if the BJP comes to power.
Its strength is set to increase by 3 seats once the current round of Rajya Sabha polls for 27 seats are concluded on June 28.
A close aide of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was shot dead in West Bengal, leading to accusations of political violence and demands for investigation.
For over a decade, the TMC's dominance in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur rested on a near-complete consolidation of Muslim votes, a bloc that accounts for 50 per cent or more of the population in large parts of this belt.
There are strong possibilities of some Union ministers being sent to take organisational roles in the BJP and party office-bearers being inducted into the Modi ministry.
Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticised the Modi government's economic policies, citing rising prices and hardships caused by demonetisation and lockdown measures during an election rally in West Bengal.
A political controversy has erupted in West Bengal following the emergence of an alleged video purportedly showing Humayun Kabir claiming links with senior BJP leaders and efforts to defeat Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming Assembly elections.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress has filed fresh police complaints against dissident leader Ritabrata Banerjee and his associates. The complaints accuse the rebels of illegally using the party's name, symbol, and designations to mislead workers, marking a significant escalation in the month-long internal struggle following the assembly poll defeat.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted fresh searches against entities being probed in connection with the money laundering case against Kolkata-based real estate company Merlin Group and others. The action follows previous raids on April 8 and focuses on alleged financial links between the company and West Bengal politicians and officials.
The central government has provided armed security to West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer following potential threats related to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
A Trinamool Congress delegation reported a contentious meeting with the Election Commission, alleging the chief election commissioner dismissed them abruptly, while the EC has accused the TMC of disruptive behaviour.
'People have lost hope of finding justice in this state ... I want to give these victims, their families, the people of this state, a voice.'
Punjab AAP president Aman Arora criticised Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu for alleged misconduct and objectionable behaviour towards police personnel in Dhuri, following an incident where Bittu intervened in the detention of a BJP leader during the election silent period.
The BJP's landslide victory in West Bengal has not merely redrawn the electoral map but overturned the operating logic of politics in the state, breaching the TMC's entrenched fortress despite a decade-and-a-half of dominance, minority consolidation, and a sustained "outsider" narrative.
Mamata Banerjee's defeat in West Bengal marks a significant turning point in her political career, challenging her ability to rebuild and regain influence after a long period of dominance.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a raid at the residence of former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with the school jobs scam. This follows his release on bail after being arrested in 2022.
The BJP which won only three seats in the last assembly election is looking confident to make inroads is Mamata's den.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is facing a deepening internal crisis marked by fresh resignations and an escalating rebellion, even as its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss opposition coordination and the future of the INDIA bloc.
'This is a major rupture in Tamil Nadu's political order.' 'For the Dravidian parties, the message is clear: The old DMK-AIADMK binary is no longer guaranteed a future.'
Suvendu Adhikari's journey from a key figure in the Trinamool Congress to a leading BJP challenger in West Bengal is a remarkable transformation. His victories, particularly against Mamata Banerjee, have positioned him as a potential chief minister, marking a significant shift in the state's political dynamics.
