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Didi to Resume Campaigning on March 31

The CM has almost recovered and is expected to restart campaigning on March 31 by addressing a rally at Dhubulia Mahua Moitra…reports Asian Lite News

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, who had stopped campaigning after she fell at her residence on March 14 evening and sustained an injury on her forehead which necessitated stitches, is likely to return to the poll trail soon.

Party insiders said that she has almost recovered and is expected to restart her campaigning on March 31 by addressing a rally at Dhubulia in Nadia district for Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency candidate, Mahua Moitra.

Though Krishnanagar is slated to go to polls in the fourth phase of the elections on May 13, Trinamool leaders say it was chosen to mark Mamata Banerjee’s return to campaigning as a substantial portion of its voters hail from the backward-class Matua community, who are refugees from Bangladesh settled in different pockets of West Bengal.

Since the Central government notified the implementation of the CAA, Matuas have been leaning towards the BJP, and Mamata Banerjee, in all probability, is re-beginning her campaign schedule there to reach out to the community.

Another reason why the Chief Minister is focussing on Krishnanagar is that ensuring the victory of Mahua Moitra, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha in connection with the cash-for-query case, has been taken as a prestige fight by her.

BJP has fielded Amrita Roy, a member of the erstwhile Krishnanagar royal family, thus making the contest tougher for Moitra considering the sentiment of the local population towards the royal family.

Party insiders said that during the rally on March 31, the Chief Minister is expected to devote a major part of her address to describing Moitra’s expulsion from the Parliament as a “reflection of vindictive politics pursued by BJP against Trinamool Congress”.

Star campaigners

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool Congress released a list of 40 star campaigners on Tuesday.

The list included West Bengal Chief Minister and party supremo Mamata Banerjee, MP and party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, and former cricketer and candidate from Behrampore, Yusuf Pathan, among others.

TMC announced its list of 42 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections earlier on March 10.

Giving a message of TMC going solo in the Lok Sabha polls, party General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee announced the list, which included certain surprises from former cricketers Yusuf Pathan from Berhampore and Kirti Azad from the Bardhaman Durgapur Lok Sabha seat.

Abhishek Banerjee will contest from Diamond Harbour. Mahua Moitra, who was expelled from Lok Sabha in the winter session last year has been given a ticket from Krishnanagar constituency.

Meanwhile, Mukut Mani Adhikari, who recently quit the Bharatiya Janata Party, has also been given a ticket from the Ranaghat Lok Sabha seat.

Shatrughan Sinha is set to again contest from Asansol, a seat he had won earlier in the 2022 bypoll.

TMC has fielded Jagadish C Basuniya from Cooch Behar, Prakash Chik Baraik from Alipurduar, Nirmal Ch Roy from Jalpaiguri, and Gopal Lama from Darjeeling.

On the announcement of the candidates, Trinamool Congress said that the ruling party in Bengal will stand with the common people as part of its committment.

“Under the leadership of Chairperson @MamataOfficial, we’re pleased to announce the names of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. We are steadfast in our commitment to stand by the common people against the deprivation of the Central Govt. When it comes to confronting the @BJP4India jomidars head-on and responding in the language they understand best, the Twin Flower is people’s only choice!,” TMC posted on X.

Bengal will vote to elect 42 Lok Sabha members across all seven phases of the general elections that are scheduled to begin on April 19 and will end on June 1. The counting of votes has been scheduled for June 4.

In the previous Lok Sabha polls, the TMC won 22 seats while the BJP sprung a major surprise, winning 18 seats. (IANS/ANI)

TMC Moves ECI Against Dilip Ghosh

Trinamool Congress on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) through the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal against BJP’s Bardhaman-Durgapur candidate, Dilip Ghosh, accusing him of using derogatory comments about Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a briefing of media persons.

In the complaint forwarded to the office of CEO, West Bengal, the ruling party has accused Ghosh, also the former state president of BJP West Bengal, of casting aspersions about the Chief Minister’s family lineage.

According to Trinamool Congress, such comments on the part of Ghosh were a clear violation of the model code of conduct (MCC) which disallows any political party or candidate from indulging in any activities or making any statements that would amount to an attack on the personal life of any person or statements that may be malicious or offending decency and morality.

In the letter to the CEO, West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress leadership has also requested the former to issue directions refraining Ghosh and other BJP candidates or leaders from making such personal comments against the Chief Minister or any other leader or candidate of Trinamool Congress.

Trinamool Congress has also requested the CEO, West Bengal to initiate immediate action against Dilip Ghosh for blatant violation of the MCC.

Meanwhile, Dilip Ghosh opened up about his controversial remarks on Mamata earlier and said that he had no personal dispute or grudges against the Bengal Chief Minister.

Speaking to the media about his remarks on Mamata Banerjee, Dilip Ghosh said, “This is not the first time that I have faced controversy over my statement, because I speak in front of those who commit injustice. Regarding the statement, I gave with regard to the Honourable Bengal Chief Minister, I would like to say that I do not have any personal dispute, grudges or ill will towards her.”

“I had merely countered and questioned the political statements she has given to mislead people. The question is that many people have objections to my use of language and words. Our (BJP) party as well as other parties have called it unparliamentary. If so, I am sad about it,” he said.

Adding further, the BJP leader questioned why objections were not raised when a party leader from TMC had used foul language against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

“I also want to question why no objections were raised when a TMC leader used abusive language against our senior party leader Suvendu Adhikari in Kanthi. Does our party leader have no honour? His father is a senior leader who is still alive. Kya unka maan sammaan nahi hai (is he not respected?). No one raised any objections on that note. Why was no statement given from TMC at that time? said Ghosh.”

“I have given a political statement. The issue of honour is raised only if it is a woman. The women’s card is brought out again and again. I had just responded to that. I have nothing more to say than this,” stated Ghosh.

Adding further he said, “I will give an official reply to any official letter sent to the party or anyone else.”

This comes after earlier, while addressing reporters in Durgapur, BJP MP Dilip Ghosh said that wherever Mamata Banerjee goes, she calls herself the daughter of that state, and “she must identify her own father.”

“When Didi (CM Mamata Banerjee) goes to Goa, she calls herself the daughter of Goa. When she goes to Tripura, she says that she is the daughter of Tripura. She should first identify her own father.” Dilip Ghosh said.

Meanwhile, BJP President JP Nadda issued a notice seeking clarification from the party leader Dilip Ghosh regarding his remarks on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

ALSO READ-Didi buries Cong alliance hopes

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Didi to go solo in 2024 polls

The breakdown in Trinamool and the Congress came after state unit chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdury continued his attack on the Bengal Chief Minister…reports Asian Lite News

The INDIA bloc suffered a huge setback on Wednesday as Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said that her party declared that the Trinamool Congress would fight alone in Bengal.

“I had no discussions with the Congress party. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I am not concerned about what will be done in the country but we are a secular party and in Bengal, we will alone will defeat BJP.” the TMC supremo said.

“I gave many proposals but they rejected them from the beginning. From then, we have decided to fight the elections in Bengal alone.”

The Bengal Chief Minister also claimed she had not been informed of Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra passing through Bengal, contrary to claims by the Congress that they had invited INDIA bloc parties to join the Yatra.

“They did not even bother to inform me that they will be coming to West Bengal as a matter of courtesy even though I am a part of the INDIA bloc. So there is no  relation with me as far as Bengal is concerned” Mamata Banerjee said.

“We will decide on what to do at the all-India level. We are a secular party. We will do whatever we can to defeat the BJP. The alliance does not comprise any one party. We have said that they should fight in some states and the regional parties should be left to fight alone in the other states. They should not interfere” she added.

The breakdown in Trinamool and the Congress came after state unit chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdury continued his attack on the Bengal Chief Minister.

In a news conference on Tuesday, Adhir Chowdhury claimed that in the 2011 elections, Mamata Banerjee came to power with the mercy of Congress.

“This time, the elections will not be fought at the mercy of Mamata Banerjee. The Congress defeated the BJP and TMC in the two seats that Mamata Banerjee is leaving. The Congress party knows how to contest the elections. Mamta Banerjee is an opportunist; she came to power in 2011, with the mercy of Congress,” the Congress MP said.

Rahul Gandhi who is in Assam as part of his Nyay Yatra tried to quell the damage been done by the state unit chief’s repeated attacks by insisting that he had a good relationship with the TMC supremo.

“The negotiations on seat-sharing is underway, I don’t want to comment here. But Mamata Banerjee is very close to me and our party. Sometimes our leaders say something, their leaders say something, and it goes on. It’s a natural thing. Such comments won’t matter and these are not things that are going to disrupt things,” Rahul Gandhi had said on Tuesday.

The Trinamool Congress reportedly was willing to offer the Congress a maximum of three Lok Sabha seats of the 42 seats in Bengal. In the 2019 elections the Congress had won two Lok Sabha seats while the TMC had won 22 seats.

With this announcement, of going alone, by Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday it appears that the doors are closed for the Congress in Bengal. For the INDIA bloc stitching together alliances has proven as stumbling block and it appears that now the alliance may not be able to put together a united front against the BJP. (ANI)

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Mamata sworn in as CM for 3rd time

The oath taking ceremony started after Governor Jagdeep Dhankar entered the hall at 10.44 a.m. and his entry was followed by the national anthem. The ceremony started at 10.45 a.m. and lasted for seven minutes where Mamata Banerjee took her oath in Bengali…reports Saibal Gupta.

Mamata Banerjee after taking her oath as West Bengal CM for the third consecutive time in an unembellished function at the ‘Throne Room’ in Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Wednesday morning announced that handling the Covid situation in the state and tackling post-poll violence and the overall law and order situation in the state will be her priority.

The chief minister’s convoy left her residence at Harish Chatterjee Street popularly known as Kalighat at 10.10 a.m. and reached Raj Bhawan at 10.20 a.m. Like any other day she sat by the side of the driver but the usual scene of people standing by the side of the road to have a glimpse of the chief minister was missing because she had requested everybody to stay indoors. Though the curious eyes were absent but the entire road was decorated with blue-white — the colour combination branded by Trinamool Congress and large footballs — highlighting the party’s theme song — ‘Khela Hobe’ (We will play).

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was escorted by her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and poll strategist Prashant Kishore reached Raj Bhawan and exchanged pleasantries with the guest that included Trinamool hierarchy Arup Biswas, Subrata Mukherjee, Partha Chatterjee, Subrata Bakshi and Firhad Hakim. Though opposition leaders and personalities like BJP state President Dilip Ghosh, Congress state President Adhir Ranjan Cowdhury, veteran leader Abdul Mannan, Left Front Chairman Biman Basu, former chief minister Buddhadeb Bahttacharjee and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly were invited but they were not present.

Mamata Banerjee takes oath as West Bengal CM for the third consecutive time at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata (photo: Pallav Paliwal)

The oath taking ceremony started after Governor Jagdeep Dhankar entered the hall at 10.44 a.m. and his entry was followed by the national anthem. The ceremony started at 10.45 a.m. and lasted for seven minutes where Mamata Banerjee took her oath in Bengali.

Speaking to the media after that the chief minister said, “I shall start my work from today only. I shall go to Nanbanna and do a high-level meeting on the Covid situation in the state. We need to review the situation and several measures will be announced in the evening. We hope we will be able to control the situation as we did before”.

Mamata Banerjee takes oath as West Bengal CM for the third consecutive time at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata (photo: Pallav Paliwal)

“I would also like to take this opportunity to appeal to all people and workers of all political parties to maintain peace and harmony. Bengal has a culture and we should not forget that. There are some sporadic incidents. I have got information but the administration was not in my hand for the last three months. I assure everybody to take necessary action and handle the situation strongly but before that I would like to appeal to everybody to stay in a peaceful manner,” she added.

Ghosh had told the media that he decided to quit the oath taking ceremony because a lot of the BJP workers are being killed all over the state in post poll violence. State Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that he didn’t receive any invitation letter from the government.

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Giant killer Mamata’s tryst with three dates

Perseverance and courage were going to distinguish her from her fellow travellers and that she has proved time and again in her more than 37 years of legislative political career…reports Saibal Gupta.

May 2, 2021 is perhaps one of the three dates that Mamata Banerjee will remember all her life, not just because she became the Chief Minister of West Bengal for the third time in a row by defeating the all-powerful BJP single-handedly, but because her tryst with dates such as this is part of her historical evolution to weave a political narrative that she is in true sense a ‘Giant Killer’.

It was in 1984 when Rajiv Gandhi and Arun Nehru threw a challenge to an aggressive young woman demanding a ticket to fight the parliamentary polls in the post-Indira election, and they offered her an impossible Jadavpur – a constituency so decisively red that a non-Communist would not even dream of contesting from there. Anybody else would have politely turned down the offer, but not Mamata Banerjee.

She returned to Kolkata, preparing to wage a war against CPM stalwart Somnath Chatterjee with her shrill voice, rubber sandals and ‘jhola’ in which she carried her world. The rest is history.

She can never forget December 29, 1984 when the gutsy woman, a raw street-fighter undeterred by the mammoth election machinery of an organised CPM, defeated the unassailable Chatterjee in her first political battle and announced her arrival as a politician.

Perseverance and courage were going to distinguish her from her fellow-travellers and that she has proved time and again in her more than 37 years of legislative political career.

What singles out Banerjee from the other politicians is her indomitable spirit. Nobody ever thought that after being bludgeoned and brought down by a CPM thug at the Hazra crossing in south Kolkata, she would be able to come back. But she bounced back with more vigour and aggression.

Through the 90s, she toyed with charting a separate path of her own, pushed to the brink by a host of Congress leaders, most of them rudderless and devoid of new ideas.

When even the high command in Delhi refused to let her assume the state unit’s leadership, she adopted the mantra of ‘Ekla Cholo Re’ (walk on your path alone). In 1998, she broke away and launched the Trinamool Congress. Her party won seven seats.

This was not the only instance but all through her life she has proved to be a path-breaking politician who has reacted more on impulse than on political doctrine and diplomatic calculations.

That is the reason perhaps she has occasionally been termed as erratic and crazy, but her apparent political naivety has been best termed by one of her close cabinet ministers — “There is method in her madness” and that political madness is perhaps the nucleus of her political identity.

That is the reason why she can easily leave her convoy and walk alone in a tribal village in West Midnapore or brew tea at a village stall during her visit to the state’s coastal town Digha or share ‘muri’ with the police constable waiting at her door.

“The wait at the antechamber or the halo of politicians is very much missing in Mamata Banerjee. She is the girl next door where she prefers to share her personal details with everybody,” said another close aide of Banerjee, who has been with her from her early days.

Naturally, the Trinamool slogan for this election — ‘Bangla nijer meyeke chai’ (Bengal wants her own daughter) — matched her personality.

What seemed so impossible — to oust the Left from power — became possible. She single-handedly wrecked the red bastion in West Bengal, ending the Left Front’s uninterrupted 34-year-old rule after perfecting the art of the impossible.

It was May 13, 2011, another date which she would perhaps not forget. That was the day when the raw street fighter was crowned as an administrator.

For the last 10 years, she has been the Chief Minister of West Bengal and she has broken protocols — contested the Central schemes and implemented her state-sponsored programmes, stayed absent during Prime Minister’s meeting with CMs, created diplomatic tension by going against the Central decision and denied sharing water of Teesta with Bangladesh — but one thing she has done with all diligence – she has been rooted to the ground and listened to the voices of the people.

She has created schemes like Swasthya Sathi – promising healthcare to all the citizens of the state, Kanyashree – giving education and freedom to women, and Khadya Sathi that promises food for all and that has perhaps paid her off.

She would perhaps never forget May 2, 2021 that eulogised her as a successful Chief Minister.

Also Read-Exit polls indicate hat-trick for Mamata

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After big win Didi emerges on national political stage

The poll results show that people of West Bengal have rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s attempt to polarise the elections, reports Asian Lite News

After winning a bitterly-fought battle with the BJP to record her third successive victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee seems to have emerged as a formidable challenge to the Centre’s ruling party.

With leaders of different regional parties, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, sending her congratulatory massages, the message from the Assembly election is clear that Banerjee is capable of taking the challenge of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, and combating it successfully.

However, the Congress, which was expected to win at least two states but could not do, failing to wrest Assam from the BJP and Kerala from the Left, still insists that it is the only option to BJP.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said: “Congress is the sole national party which is alternative to the BJP as it is fighting BJP in all the states.”

But the messages from the leaders of regional parties indicate that Banerjee, whose Trinamool which was once part of the UPA, has shown her mettle by single-handedly defeating the BJP and in a convincing manner.

The poll results show that people of West Bengal have rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party’s attempt to polarise the elections. The BJP, which had left no stone unturned to dislodge the Banerjee government, could not cross three-digit figure despite its claims of getting 200-plus seats out of the state’s 294.

Mamata

The reason behind Banerjee’s masterful performance was admitted by a BJP leader, who said that their leadership “failed to understand the pulse of Bengal and its culture”. “And that is the reason despite leading in 121 Assembly constituencies in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, we are facing difficulties in winning over 100 seats in less than a two-year period.”

“People rejected politics of polarisation or communal politics. Muslim votes polarised in favour of the Trinamool while the Bengali Hindu also rejected communal politics and voted for the Trinamool,” the BJP leader said.

Mamata dedicates victory to people

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday dedicated the win to the people of West Bengal, besides taking a dig at both the Election Commission and the BJP.

Speaking at the state secretariat Nabanna, Banerjee didn’t spare the EC besides hinting that something wrong is going on in Nandigram.

There was a tweet from Banerjee that read “For winning a greater battle you must sacrifice something.”

Making it obvious that fighting Covid is her priority, the Trinamool supremo vowed to work for the people all through her life.

“This is a victory for the people of Bengal. This is a victory of the people of the country. This is a victory of democracy. The people of Bengal have saved democracy,” Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister also made it clear that her fight against the BJP will continue.

“I announce that all the people of the state will get free vaccine. I would also like to request the Central government to arrange for free vaccination for all the people of the country. This is our demand and if it is not met, I shall go for a non-violent movement at the foot of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. It will need only Rs 3,000 crore for vaccinating the whole country and that is not a huge amount,” the Banerjee said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee

“BJP has used everything — money power, muscle power and everything possible — but the people of Bengal have voted for development. The people of Bengal have saved democracy. I congratulate all my mothers and sister and minority brothers and sisters,” she added.

Banerjee also announced that there will be no victory procession right now because of the Covid situation.

“The oath taking ceremony will also be organised in a small way. There will be a huge victory rally at the Brigade, but that will be announced later once the pandemic subsides,” she said.

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Exit polls indicate hat-trick for Mamata

Apart from the Axis My India-India Today and the Republic-CNX exit polls, all other surveys forecast a third victory for the Trinamool, reports Asian Lite News

Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is set to retain power in West Bengal, all exit polls, except two, indicated after the month-long, eight-phase Assembly polls ended on Thursday.

Apart from the Axis My India-India Today and the Republic-CNX exit polls, which gave the BJP an edge in the battleground state, all other surveys, including the CVoter Exit Poll for Times Now/ABP News, forecast a third victory for the Trinamool, putting it ahead in the 294-member Assembly.

However, the survey of Axis My India-India Today, whose predictions in the 2019 Assembly elections had shown the immense BJP gains in the state, again gave the party its first-ever victory in the state polls. According to it, the BJP could end with 134-160 seats, the Trinamool with 130-156, and the Left with a mere 0-2. On the other hand, the P-MARQ survey gave the Trinamool 152-172 seats, the BJP 112-132, and the Left 10-20. The NewsX-Polstrat gave the Trinamool 152-162 and the BJP 111-125 seats.

The ETG Research poll gave Banerjee’s party 164-176, the BJP 105-115 and the Left 10-15 seats. CVoter gave Trinamool 152-164, the BJP 109-121 and the Left 14-25.

The Republic-CNX poll, however, showed a BJP victory, giving it 138-148 seats, with 128-132 for the Trinamool and 11-21 for the Left.

 Polling concludes

Despite some sporadic incidents, the eighth and final phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal concluded peacefully on Thursday with a voter turnout of 76.07 per cent.

In the final phase, voting took place in 11,860 polling stations spread across 35 Assembly constituencies in four districts — Malda, Murshidabad, North Kolkata and Birbhum.

According to the data released by the Election Commission, Birbhum district recorded the maximum voter turnout of 81.87 per cent till 5 pm, followed by Malda (80.06 per cent), Murshidabad (78.07 per cent) and North Kolkata (57.43 per cent).

As far as individual constituencies are concerned, Hariharpara in Murshidabad district recorded the highest turnout of 84.19 per cent, while Jorashanko in North Kolkata recorded the lowest turnout of 48.45 per cent.

North Kolkata, where 7 Assembly constituencies went to the polls, recorded an overall polling percentage of 57.43 per cent. Among the individual constituencies in the city, Jorasanko witnessed the lowest polling of 48.45 per cent, while Chowrangee recorded a turnout of 51.98 per cent.

Entally recorded the highest polling in the city at 65.79 per cent, while both Beliagahta and Maniktala recorded a turnout of 60 per cent.

The sporadic incidents that took place during polling on Thursday started with the explosion of two crude bombs near the Mahajati Sadan under the Jorasanko Assembly constituency in the early morning before the beginning of polls.

The police have collected CCTV footage from the spot, but no arrests have been made as yet. No one was injured in the incident.

The second incident was reported from 239 Rabindra Sarani under the Posta police station at 9 am when two crude bombs exploded there. The police have arrested six persons in connection with the case. However, the EC later said that they were only heavy crackers.

Clashes and fisticuffs broke out on more than one occasion between rival political groups.

In Kolkata’s Beliaghata area, clashes broke out between two groups of people on more than one occasion following which the police resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.

Bengal heads for penultimate phase of polling


In Maniktala constituency, BJP candidate Kalyan Choubey was allegedly gheraoed by a group of people during his visit to the polling booths.

ADG (Law & Order), Jagmohan, said that the police made 835 preventive arrests on Thursday which included 316 from the Kolkata Police area. Four persons were arrested on charges of violating Section 144, while 20 were held under specific cases.

“We have recovered 78 crude bombs, seized 5 illegal weapons and 21 round ammunition,” Jagmohan said.

The EC received 1179 complaints through various platforms on Thursday. There was also drone surveillance at some polling booths in Kolkata for monitoring the elections.

Meanwhile, Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and his wife Sudesh Dhankhar casted their votes at a polling booth in Chowringhee Assembly constituency.

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