Page 24 - Mamata Banerjee

Lok Sabha elections: In Singur, Lakshmir Bhandar in the spotlight

In a state where big-ticket investments have become rare, Mamata Banerjee's numerous welfare schemes are fulfilling needs in more ways than one

TMC files complaint with EC against Gangopadhyay for comments on Mamata

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP candidate for Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency Abhijit Gangopadhyay, alleging that he made "sexist" remarks against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a public rally. TMC leader and West Bengal minister Shashi Panja said the party will also take legal action against Gangopadhyay, a former judge of Calcutta High Court. In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, TMC leader Derek O'Brien said, "In the said speech, Gangopadhyay has made certain highly offensive utterances, being: 'Mamata Banerjee, how much are you being sold for? Your rate is 10 lakhs, why? Because you're getting your make-up done by Keya Seth? Mamata Banerjee, is she even a woman? I keep wondering sometimes." "This clearly shows the misogynist conduct of the BJP candidate. It is unfortunate that having being held a prominent position in the judiciary, he has chosen to attack on the dignity of women, especially

CBI raids residence of 2 TMC leaders in connection with 2021 violence case

The CBI on Friday conducted raids at the residences of two Trinamool Congress leaders at Kathi in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal in connection with its ongoing investigation into the killing of a BJP worker in post-poll violence in 2021, an officer said. A team of CBI officers raided the houses of Kathi Block no 3 TMC leader Debabrata Panda and another block president Nandadulal Maiti in the early hours of Friday in connection with its ongoing investigation, he said. "Panda, Nandadulal's son and 52 others have been named in the FIR lodged in connection with the murder of Janmejay Dolui," the CBI officer told PTI. Dolui, a BJP worker, was killed in post-poll violence following the 2021 assembly election. The CBI officer said that 30 people were summoned for questioning in connection with the matter but none turned up. "We are conducting raids at places associated with these people. We need to question them," he said.

Battleground 2024: INDIA bloc to disintegrate after June 4, says PM Modi

PM Modi said that Akhilesh Yadav should ask his "bua" why she calls people from UP and Bihar outsiders

LS polls: We are, will be part of INDIA at national level, says Mamata

A day after announcing that he would extend outside support to the opposition front INDIA after it comes to power, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she is very much part of the anti-BJP alliance at the national level and would form the next government with it. While addressing an election rally at Tamluk, Banerjee said that the TMC is not in alliance with the CPI(M) and the Congress in West Bengal. "At all India level, some people have misunderstood my statement yesterday. I am very much part of the INDIA alliance. The INDIA alliance was my brainchild. We are together at the national level and will continue to be together. INDIA bloc was brought together by me. We will form a government with that alliance and we are a part of it," she said. Banerjee alleged that the West Bengal units of both CPI(M) and Congress, who are part of the INDIA alliance, have joined hands and helped the BJP in the state. "Do not count on the CPI(M) and the Congress in Bengal. Th

Lok Sabha polls: If INDIA bloc wins, who will be PM, Shah asks in Bihar

The BJP, which is aiming for a third term in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, has been targeting the Opposition's INDIA bloc over fighting the polls in coalition without naming their PM candidate

Mamata's Nandigram defeat echoes in Tamluk as TMC, BJP prepare for showdown

As the electoral battle intensifies in West Bengal's Tamluk constituency, a fierce confrontation between the TMC and the BJP looms large with the state's ruling party seeking retribution for Mamata Banerjee's loss in Nandigram and the saffron party striving to fortify its stronghold. Former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who joined the BJP immediately after resigning from his post on March 5 and was fielded by the party from the crucial seat, and the selection of young Turks Debangshu Bhattacharya and Sayan Banerjee by the TMC and CPI(M) respectively have intensified the political rivalry in the seat. Nandigram, where the anti-land acquisition movement in 2007 against the then Left Front government was instrumental in the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress' rise to power in 2011 in Bengal, is in Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency. The enmity between Mamata Banerjee and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, epitomised by the latter's victory in Nandigram in the 2021 assembly .

Will lend support to 'INDIA' from outside to form govt at Centre: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said her party will extend support to the opposition INDIA bloc from outside to form the government at the Centre and vowed to repeal the CAA, NRC and UCC once the BJP government is voted out of power. Expressing skepticism about the BJP's ambitious target of achieving 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, she said people will reject them totally. "BJP is claiming that it will win 400 seats, but people are saying it will not happen. The entire country has understood that the BJP is a party full of thieves. We (TMC) will support the INDIA bloc from outside to form a government at the Centre. We will extend our support so that in (West) Bengal, our mothers and sisters never face a problem... and those who work in the 100 days' job scheme, also do not face problems," Banerjee said. The TMC supremo, who was addressing an election rally at Chinsurah, Hooghly district, however, clarified that in West Bengal, her party .

LS elections 2024: Polling for 8 seats in Bengal, 51.87% turnout till 1 pm

Polling was underway peacefully in eight Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal as 15.24 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 9 am on Monday, an election official said. Polling started at the eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Baharampur, Krishnanagar, Ranaghat (SC), Bardhaman Purba (SC), BardhamanDurgapur, Asansol, Bolpur (SC) and Birbhum, at 7 am amid tight security arrangements. A total of 1,45,30,017 voters 73,84,356 men, 71,45,379 women. and 282 third-gender are eligible to exercise their franchise in 15,507 polling stations on Monday. "Polling remained peaceful in the first two hours and there is no untoward incident anywhere in the eight Lok Sabha constituencies. A voter turnout of 15.24 per cent recorded till 9 am," he told PTI. Both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP have lodged complaints alleging EVM malfunctioning, agents being stopped from entering polling booths and voters being either threatened or stopped from going to cast their votes in different constituencies. The

Ex-Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay moves Cal HC, alleges police overaction

Former Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a BJP candidate from Tamluk Lok Sabha seat, on Monday moved the Calcutta High Court alleging police overaction by registering an attempt to murder case against him. Justice Jay Sengupta, before whose court the matter was mentioned, directed that the petition will be taken up for hearing on Tuesday. Alleging malafide and overaction on the part of police, Gangopadhyay's lawyer Rajdeep Majumder submitted before the court that the FIR was lodged to prevent him from campaigning for the election. Majumder stated that section 307 (attempt to murder) was registered against Gangopadhyay. Gangopadhyay, who resigned as a judge of the Calcutta High Court in March, is a BJP candidate from Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency. An alleged incident of protest against him by some persons claiming to belong to a teachers' organisation is stated to have taken place when Gangopadhyay went to file his nomination papers for the polls.

PM lying about Sandeshkhali, but mum on allegation against Guv: Mamata

Claiming that PM Narendra Modi was continuing to "peddle lies" about Sandeshkhali, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday questioned why he was maintaining a stoic silence on the allegations of molestation against Governor CV Ananda Bose and not asking him to resign. Addressing an election rally in North 24 Parganas' Amdanga, which is a part of the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency, Banerjee said the PM should be ashamed that "BJP's conspiracy" about Sandeshkhali has become public. "The PM is still peddling lies about Sandeshkhali. He should be ashamed as the BJP's conspiracy has now become public," Banerjee said, apparently referring to a purported video in which a local BJP leader was heard saying that over 70 women had received Rs 2,000 each for taking part in protests against TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh who is accused of sexual assault and land grab. In an earlier clip, a man resembling BJP's Sandeshkhali mandal president Gangadhar Kayal was heard saying that t

New video claims 70 women in Sandeshkhali received money to protest

In a purported video that surfaced from Sandeshkhali, a local BJP leader was heard saying that over 70 women had received Rs 2,000 each for taking part in protests against local TMC satrap Shahjahan Sheikh and his aides who were accused of sexual assault and land grab. In the video, lasting over 45 minutes, a man resembling Sandeshkhali mandal president Gangadhar Kayal told this to the questioner. It was Kayal who had earlier said in another purported clip, the first in a series in the past week, that the rape allegations were staged. PTI did not independently verify the authenticity of the videos. In the latest tape that surfaced on Saturday night, Kayal was heard saying that 70 women got Rs 2,000 each for taking part in protests against Sheikh who was arrested and later suspended by the police. "We will need Rs 2.5 lakh in cash for 50 booths where 30 per cent of protesters would be women. We have to keep the SC, ST and OBC people here in good humour by paying them satisfactorily.

Contenders for Medinipur face more resistance internally than from Oppn

Medinipur is probably the only Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal where both the prime contenders, the BJP and the TMC, seem more troubled with resistance from within than from the opposition outside. Should pollsters choose to add yet another layer of political complexity to the seat, there are those who view the battle for Medinipur as that taking place between current and former TMC supporters, roughly translated into followers of party supremo Mamata Banerjee and turncoat Suvendu Adhikari, with both rooting for candidates of their choice. What could have been a cakewalk for the BJP is now an arena where the fight is thrown wide open, with the saffron camp deciding to relocate popular sitting MP and former state party president Dilip Ghosh to Bardhaman-Durgapur, replacing him with the party's state Mahila Morcha president Agnimitra Paul as its candidate for Medinipur. Paul, a Kolkata-based fashion designer and sitting Asansol Dakshin MLA, has had a meteoric rise in the BJP since she w

LS polls Highlights: EC says Kharge's charges of delay in release of voter turnout data unwarranted

Lok Sabha elections latest updates: Catch all the news related to the General Elections here

Sandeshkhali woman revokes rape case against TMC men, alleges BJP coercion

The woman said that she was misled by a local BJP Mahila Morcha functionary and other party members, who initially sought her signature under the guise of enrolling her for PMAY

LS polls: TMC to approach EC over Sandeshkhali 'sting operation' video

The TMC will lodge a complaint with the EC against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari and others, claiming that a saffron party leader has "confessed" on camera that the rape accusations in the Sandeshkhali incident were concocted, sources said on Thursday. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) will submit a letter to the Election Commission (EC)later in the day, they said. Party sources said their complaint is based on a purported video in which a man claiming to be Gangadhar Kayal -- BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali -- was heard saying that Adhikari, the leader of opposition in the West Bengal assembly, was "behind the whole conspiracy". In the "sting operation" video done by a news platform which was later shared by the TMC on X, Kayal is heard saying sexual harassment complaints were filed at the behest of Adhikari. West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, meanwhile, alleged that the "sting operation" was "fake", and suspected that it was made using artificial intelligence (AI).

LS polls: MCC turned into Modi code of conduct under BJP rule, says Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the Election Commission has turned a blind eye to the allegations against BJP leaders that they indulge in hate speeches during campaigns, converting the Model Code of Conduct to "Modi code of conduct". Addressing an election rally at Purulia, the TMC supremo also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders consider only themselves as Hindus, and they do not think about other communities. Modi and other BJP leaders by their "hate-filled speeches" are intimidating lower caste Hindus, minorities and other marginalised sections, but the Election Commission is silent, she alleged. "The Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct has turned out to be a mockery and should be rechristened as Modi code of conduct. But we will continue to flag every incident of violation of rights of citizens of this country," Banerjee said.

LS elections: Incidents of violence mar 3rd phase polling in Bengal

Sporadic incidents of violence marred the third phase of Lok Sabha polls in the four constituencies in West Bengal as TMC, BJP and Congress workers clashed with each other in various parts of Murshidabad and Jangipur seats. The TMC, the BJP, and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance lodged separate complaints related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents in the first few hours of polling, sources from the parties said. The EC received 182 complaints by 9 am, most of which were from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies. According to officials, around 32.82 per cent polling was reported till 11am, with Jangipur recording the highest turnout of 33.81 per cent, followed by Maldaha Dakshin (33.09), Murshidabad (32.72) and Maldaha Uttar (31.73). Additionally, 29.39 per cent voting was recorded in the assembly bypoll in Murshidabad's Bhagawangola. All the four seats are minority-dominated, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) holding Murshidabad and Jangipur, while the

LS polls highlights: Congress govt will ensure 50% reservation cap is removed, says Rahul Gandhi

General Elections 2024: Catch all the latest news updates on the Lok Sabha polls here

LS polls 2024: Showbiz personalities galore in Bengal electoral fray

The not-so-old trend among major political parties in West Bengal to throw their weight behind silver screen personalities continues unabated in the current edition of Lok Sabha polls where stars of yesteryears are contesting the elections shoulder to shoulder with contemporary celluloid icons of the industry. In terms of numbers the state's ruling Trinamool Congress, like in the past, is way ahead of its completion this time around as well by fielding six of the nine filmstars in the poll fray. While the opposition BJP has nominated two film personalities, the CPI (M) has settled for one well-known tinsel town figure from the Tollygunge film and TV industry to try and dent the opposition vote bank. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has reposed her faith in Bollywood superstar of the 70s and 80s, Shatrughan Sinha, a repeat candidate from Asansol, and on reigning Tollygunge superstar Dipak Adhikari aka Dev from the Ghatal seat for a third consecutive term in Lok Sabha. She also nominated