Assembly polls LIVE: Congress govts' policies damaged Assam, says PM Modi

Assam election 2021 LIVE updates: 'Congress' corruption and vote-bank-based governance made Assam one of the most disconnected states in India', said PM Modi

10:54 PM

Unhappy Bengal BJP workers vandalise party office over candidate selection

8:40 PM

BJP releases a list of candidates for West Bengal polls 2021

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released a list of 148 candidates for the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth phases of the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections. BJP vice-president Mukul Roy will contest from Krishnanagar Uttar assembly constituency. He will be facing off against TMC candidate Kaushani Mukherjee.

 

On Wednesday, the BJP had announced the names of four more candidates for the polls.

 

The party has fielded Bidhan Parui from the Falta assembly seat, Paapia Adhikari from Uluberia Dakshin, Anupam Ghosh from Jagatballavpur and Chandan Mandal from the Baruipur Purba assembly seat. Elections to the 294-member state assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

8:01 PM

BJP expels 15 leaders in Assam for filing nomination as Independent candidates

The Assam BJP on Thursday expelled 15 leaders, including former deputy speaker Dilip Kumar Paul, from the party for six years for joining the assembly poll fray as Independents after being denied tickets. BJP state general secretary Rajdeep Roy said the party's Assam chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass has approved the disciplinary action with immediate effect.

 

The list of 15 members include Paul, who resigned from the BJP after he was denied a ticket and is contesting as an Independent from Silchar constituency.

 

Out of 126 seats in Assam Assembly, BJP is contesting in 92 and has left the remaining to its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL).

7:22 PM

Tamil Nadu polls: AIADMK MLA Chandra Sekaran expelled from party

Ahead of the state elections, AIADMK MLA from Sendamangalam, C. Chandrasekaran was on Thursday expelled from the party for "anti-party activities". Chandrasekaran has filed his nomination as an independent candidate because he was not given AIADMK ticket to contest in the assembly election.

 

The Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6 and the counting of votes will be done on May 2.

 

The term of the fifteenth legislative assembly in the state is ending on May 2, 2021. As many as 6,28,23,749 electors will choose candidates for the sixteenth legislative assembly in Tamil Nadu. There are 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly. Ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is in a pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

6:26 PM

Will bring 'parivartan' in Delhi after winning Bengal polls: Mamata Banerjee

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asserted that she will bring 'parivartan' (change) in Delhi after winning the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal.

 

The chief minister said that the BJP is targeting West Bengal with all its might as it knows that she will go for the Centre soon after securing victory in her state. She accused the BJP of "stealing" her 'parivartan' slogan and remodelling it as 'asol parivartan' (real change).

5:48 PM

Continuous efforts being made to remove impediment in farmers' journey from 'seed to market': PM

Continuous efforts are being made to remove every small and big impediment in the way of farmers' journey from 'seed to market' and to ensure the progress of agriculture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told a farmer from Uttarakhand in a letter.

 

Replying to a letter written by Kheemanand Pandey from Nainital, who had congratulated the prime minister on the completion of five years of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Modi said the scheme is continuously playing an important role in protecting the economic interests of hardworking farmers by reducing the risk associated with weather uncertainties.

 

Crores of farmers are availing the benefits of this farmer-friendly insurance scheme, the prime minister noted in his reply to Kheemanand's letter.

 

Referring to the government's committed efforts towards agriculture and farmers' welfare, Prime Minister Modi said, "Through comprehensive coverage and transparent claim redressal process over the last five years, the 'fasal bima' (crop insurance) scheme has emerged as an example of our determined efforts for farmers' welfare."

5:29 PM

725 CAPF companies to be deployed for West Bengal polls: CRPF DG

As many as 725 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will be deployed in West Bengal for the conduct of forthcoming assembly elections, CRPF chief Kuldiep Singh said on Thursday.

 

Addressing a press conference on the eve of the 82nd anniversary of the country's largest paramilitary force, Singh said that 495 out of the 725 companies have already reached the state while the rest are on their way.

 

"One CAPF company has an operational strength of about 72 personnel," he told the reporters. West Bengal will have an eight-phased polling for its 294-member assembly beginning March 27.

5:13 PM

BJP announces 148 candidates for West Bengal polls including party's vice president Mukul Roy

BJP announces 148 candidates for West Bengal polls including party's vice president Mukul Roy

5:13 PM

BJP releases a list of candidates for fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth phases of West Bengal polls 2021

5:10 PM

Tamil Nadu Polls: E Palaniswami carries out campaign rallies in Nagapattinam

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday carried out campaign rallies in Vedaranyam of the Nagapattinam district ahead of the State assembly elections. Huge crowds were seen thronging the Chief Minister's vehicle.

 

Over the last few days, Palaniswami has also carried out rallies in Naachiyar Koil in Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and several other districts across the state.

 

The Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6 and the counting of votes will be done on May 2. The term of the fifteenth legislative assembly in Tamil Nadu is ending on May 2, 2021. As many as 6,28,23,749 electors will choose candidates for the sixteenth legislative assembly in Tamil Nadu.

5:01 PM

Actor Arun Govil, best known for playing lord Ram in Ramayan TV series, joins BJP in Delhi

4:54 PM

Congress can betray all for sake of votes: PM Narendra Modi at poll rally in Assam

Congress can betray all for sake of votes: PM Narendra Modi at poll rally in Assam

4:53 PM

BJP helped connect people and places: PM Narendra Modi in Assam

BJP helped connect people and places: PM Narendra Modi in Assam

4:53 PM

Can a party (Congress) that doesn't have stable thinking give a stable govt to Assam?: PM Modi in Karimganj

4:37 PM

Congress kept Assam divided in every way, BJP tried to connect Assam in every way: PM Modi

Congress kept Assam divided in every way, BJP tried to connect Assam in every way. "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Biswas" — is the BJP's development mantra: PM Modi in Karimganj. 

4:32 PM

Congress govts and their policies damaged Assam: PM Modi

4:31 PM

PM Narendra Modi addressing election rally in Assam

4:19 PM

Congress' corruption, vote-bank-based governance made Assam one of the most disconnected states in India: PM

4:12 PM

Today, there is a wave of development and trust in Assam: PM Modi at Karimganj rally

3:45 PM

After winning Bengal, we will jump to Delhi and shake BJP: CM leader Mamata Banerjee in Kharagpur

3:34 PM

Dharmendra Pradhan appeals to ECI to deploy paramilitary forces in West Bengal Assembly polls

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday, on his visit to Nandigram, appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to deploy paramilitary forces in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls.

 

"After Suvendu Adhikari's 'padayatra' started today, our Yuva Morcha leader was attacked here, in front of me. I appeal to the Election Commission to deploy paramilitary forces here," the Union Minister said. "Mamata Didi should fight elections in a democratic way," Pradhan added.

 

Nandigram will witness the most high-profile contest of West Bengal elections with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee taking on her former ministerial colleague Suvendu Adhikari, who had joined BJP in December last year. Adhikari had earlier said BJP will defeat Banerjee by over 50,000 votes from Nandigram.

 

The polling in Nandigram will take place on April 1, in the second phase of the upcoming Assembly elections. Elections to the 294-member state Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

2:51 PM

Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi files his nomination as BJP candidate from Thrissur

2:21 PM

Mamata's appeasement politics behind infiltration: PM Modi at Purulia rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for pursuing "appeasement and vote bank politics" which were responsible for infiltration. Addressing an election rally in the tribal Jangalmahal region of the state, he alleged the ruling TMC never considered Dalits, backwards and adivasis its own, and these sections were the worst victims of cut money culture and 'Tolabaji' (extortion) by the state's ruling party.

 

He also accused the Banerjee government of patronising underground Maoist rebels.

 

"The single-most important reason for infiltration is appeasement and vote bank politics being pursued by didi's government," he said. He said on May 2, the day the votes for assembly elections will be counted, Banerjee's "khela" (game) will be "shesh" (over) and development will start.

2:11 PM

BJP govt at Centre, in garb of implementing NPR, will omit names of voters: CM Mamata Banerjee tells rally

BJP govt at Centre, in garb of implementing NPR, will omit names of voters; that won't be allowed in Bengal: CM Mamata Banerjee tells rally

 

2:00 PM

I'm like a tiger and I only bow my head before the public: West Bengal CM

1:25 PM

West Bengal: PM Modi meets families and relatives of BJP workers who were killed

1:13 PM

Bengal CM promised she'll double farmers' income in 10 years but she tripled their income: TMC's Derek O'Brien

When manifestos are released, they make promises. Will these promises be kept or not? For this, you have to ask who's making these promises. WB CM promised she'll double farmers' income in 10 yrs but she tripled their income. But PM has made a false promise: TMC's Derek O'Brien

12:37 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Purulia, says, Didi bole khela hobe, BJP bole vikas hobe

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Purulia, says, "Didi bole khela hobe, BJP bole chaakri hobe. Didi bole khela hobe, BJP bole vikas hobe. Didi bole khela hobe, BJP bole shiksha hobe....Khela shesh hobe, vikas aarambh hobe."

12:09 PM

West Bengal: PM Narendra Modi arrives at Purulia

12:08 PM

Tamil Nadu election 2021: BJP leader Khushbu Sundar files nomination from Thousand Lights constituency