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Tag: West Bengal Elections

  • Derek O’Brien: ‘All parties make mistakes… We are quietly confident. Didi’s credibility will see us by means of’

    O’Brien says EC should reply for firing that killed 4, clarifies get together’s place on the insider-outsider debate, asks why Abhishek Banerjee has not been arrested if costs in opposition to him true, and says events now want males like Prashant Kishor. The session was moderated by Special Correspondent Dipankar Ghose
    DIPANKAR GHOSE: Six of eight phases of polling are carried out in West Bengal. Where do you assume this election stands proper now?
    We have been centered on our marketing campaign. We are saying that within the final 10 years, the Mamata Banerjee authorities has delivered on many parameters — well being, training, street, infrastructure, electrical energy, employment, IT, girls’s security. We are additionally saying that within the final 10 years, we haven’t carried out all of it. On the opposite facet, you might have the BJP. You decide them on the guarantees made and the guarantees they’ve saved. This is the essential proposition. The BJP desires to make feedback, bask in bluster and large discuss and play thoughts video games. We haven’t been into that. The backside line is if you’re combating the world’s most harmful political drive…you must acknowledge that they’ve the cash. And I dare say that they discovered a brand new ally. We all the time knew it was a hidden ally, however within the final two weeks the extraordinarily compromised Election Commission (EC) has come out brazenly as their ally.
    DIPANKAR GHOSE: While you attacked the Prime Minister for holding rallies even because the Covid-19 caseload was rising, the Trinamool additionally wasn’t very immediate in shutting down its rallies and campaigns.
    We have been interesting to the umpire, the Election Commission, for a very long time. Please take a look at the press convention by Mamata Banerjee after the election schedule was introduced. We stated that you’re evaluating the scenario now to 2016 (for holding polling in eight phases). In 2016, there have been a whole lot of deaths resulting from insurgents, now that quantity is zero. And the second cause we gave for (not holding the polls over eight phases) was the scenario of the pandemic. So we now have been very, very constant.
    Going again to the Election Commission, by the way in which, we now have written hundreds of letters to them and bodily delivered 108 letters. What have we been saying? Change the foundations, change the foundations, change the foundations! But the Election Commission didn’t act. The solely time they acted was two hours after Mr Modi’s announcement… There’s no fig leaf of pretence anymore. I’ve a whole lot of issues to say concerning the EC which I’ll say after May 2… What they are saying inside these closed-door conferences, it’s pathetic. And by the way in which, how come this election is being performed with two of the three ECs. Everybody knew the third particular person was going to retire? Maybe Amit Shah is the third EC. He may as nicely come out and do it brazenly… It’s a really dangerous scenario. As far because the BJP goes, it’s their umpire, their bat, their ball, their pitch… But we nonetheless need to play the match, that’s the reason we are saying ‘match on (Khela Hobe)’, what can we do?
    SANTANU CHOWDHURY: The Trinamool all the time refers back to the BJP because the vacationer gang and outsiders in Bengal. Can you elaborate? Also, why is caste enjoying such a giant position within the polls this time?
    Let me reply your second query (on caste) first. Politics in Bengal has by no means seen the sort of divide that the BJP is attempting to play up desperately in typical Modi-Shah mode. They can preserve enjoying it up however we nonetheless consider that individuals is not going to purchase it.
    Now on to the primary half, what can we imply by outsider? Because in any other case this complete debate will be misconstrued. What can we imply by outsider, insider? Whether your identify is Agarwal, Gupta, D’Souza, Sharma, Roy Choudhry, Jha, you aren’t an outsider. People who come right here, stay right here, work right here, have a ration card right here… Outsiders are those that just like the BJP have come into Bengal two months in the past to suck the state for votes. There is a transparent distinction between outsider-insider in Bengal. Shouldn’t I name Amit Shah an outsider when he says Rabindranath Tagore was born in Shantiniketan? Shouldn’t I name the BJP an outsider once they go and garland the improper statue of Birsa Munda? It doesn’t work… That is the excellence between outsiders and folks from Bengal. So they (the BJP) will try to confuse the argument, however we’re very clear.

    We are in a really optimistic marketing campaign… We are saying discuss to us about farmers. You promised Mr Prime Minister that you’ll double farmers’ earnings by 2022. At the present price, that’s not going to occur earlier than 2028. In 2011, Mamata Banerjee stated she’s going to double farmers’ earnings. She didn’t double farmers’ earnings in 10 years, it has truly tripled… Talk to us about Kanyashree (an initiative of the state authorities to enhance life and standing of women), which has received the United Nations award… Our funds for the scheme is Rs 9,400 crore. What is the advantage of that? It has introduced down early marriage figures, improved toddler mortality price… Talk to us about street development, MSMEs… That is Bengal. Talk to us concerning the 95 lakh new households electrified since 2011… Talk to us about these, as a substitute of digressing and bringing Pakistan into the narrative or beginning another divisive narrative. That’s not going to work… They can’t ship any of their MPs to debate us as a result of 5 of their MPs have been demoted to battle MLA elections in West Bengal…
    MANOJ C G: Can the BJP’s rise within the state solely be attributed to the truth that they’ve extra funds? The BJP had round 10% of the votes and three seats within the final Assembly elections, and within the 2019 Lok Sabha polls they went on to win 18 seats, accounting for practically 40% vote share.
    Let me offer you some information. The CPM vote share dropped from 30% to 7% within the final election, and the Congress’s vote share dropped from 10% to five%. So there may be an opposition area there. The Trinamool Congress didn’t drop its vote share. The Trinamool’s vote share went up by 2%… Today, there may be sufficient proof on the bottom that the Left entrance, the CPI(M) is telling individuals to vote for the BJP. The Opposition area has gone to the BJP.
    MANOJ C G: But there are different points as nicely, together with anti-incumbency in opposition to your authorities and your MLAs on the native degree, corruption, lower cash, and perceived resentment in opposition to appeasement insurance policies. These have additionally performed a job within the rise of the BJP within the state.
    There must be anti-incumbency. There is Covid, we additionally had Cyclone Amphan final yr, which was the primary setback in Bengal. We need to acknowledge that. Of course there will probably be anti-incumbency; after 10 years in authorities you’ll have to change your MLAs.
    I all the time say who’s speaking about corruption. If the Trinamool has small-time retail corruption down the road, the BJP has company, wholesale corruption. They are probably the most corrupt political get together on the earth. And this isn’t rhetorical. Look on the CAG experiences from the final one-two years. Look at electoral bonds… For each Rs 100 given on electoral bonds, the BJP will get Rs 60. Look at PM-CARES. They do it in a wholesale approach. They are very trendy about it. Look on the approach they management surrogate media and digital platforms. Look on the approach it’s managed, and you might be speaking of corruption.
    DIPANKAR GHOSE: The alleged violence by Trinamool staff has additionally added to the anti-incumbency…
    If every little thing was so improper concerning the Trinamool Congress, then how come our get together’s ministers had been getting used within the BJP within the washer format?… Suvendu Adhikari, Mukul Roy have instantly all turn out to be angels… You have run them by means of the washer… You take all of them, you shut the circumstances down and also you throw corruption costs at us… You are making all these accusations in opposition to Abhishek Banerjee… All businesses are yours — the CBI, ED. Put forth the proof and arrest him… But you’ll be able to’t do this. You are solely doing this on your 9 pm tv channel exhibits… After 4 days, it would all go away.
    You discuss dynasty. What is dynasty? Who is your Nandigram candidate? His father is an MP, his brother is an MP, his elder brother is a councillor and his sister-in-law can be a councillor. All these guys are dynasts. Piyush Goyal isn’t a dynast? Anurag Thakur isn’t a dynast? I’ve made a listing of 37, they’re all dynasts… What is Jay Shah’s contribution to cricket? Nobody talks about it…
    ATRI MITRA: In villages affected by Cyclone Amphan, there have been accusations of corruption in opposition to many panchayat leaders. How are you assuring these sections?
    That is the place we wanted to do some self-assessment. We did it and acquired some suggestions. That is why six-eight months earlier than the polls we began the door-to-door ‘Duare Sarkar’ outreach programme, saying that we aren’t good. That is the course correction. You need to have the humility to course appropriate. You can’t have the hubris of a Modi who introduced demonetisation and didn’t have the humility to course appropriate… But that doesn’t imply that each single particular person down the road is corrupt.
    RITIKA CHOPRA: Poll strategist Prashant Kishor has stated that he doesn’t agree with the assault on EVMs. What is your response to that? He additionally stated that Narendra Modi is a well-liked chief on the bottom. Do you agree together with his evaluation?
    I’m a believer of the truth that to battle elections at present, political events want Pashant Kishor and Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC). The MPs and political leaders who assume I-PAC is the competitor, they’re old skool, they’re blind. They don’t know the way elections work. I-PAC is a crucial useful resource and Prashant is a good thoughts to have in a staff. Number two, Modi is a well-liked chief. Do you assume Hitler was not a preferred chief? He (Kishor) stated nothing controversial. His view on EVMs is his view, my get together’s view is a special view. That’s completely tremendous.
    We don’t need to agree on every little thing… We are very suspicious that the Election Commission is bought out. I made a mistake by calling the EC ‘extremely compromised’. They are a very sold-out physique. It could be very, very unhappy.

    SHUBHAJIT ROY: Essentially there’s a sense that the Trinamool has gone all out on minority appeasement. There appears to be some latent anger amongst Bengali Hindus in West Bengal concerning the matter…
    Bengali Hindus are offended with the Trinamool you say. Minorities account for 27% of the votes in Bengal. How come we acquired 45% of the votes within the Lok Sabha elections? This is all a cock-and-bull mindset that Bengali Hindus vote for the BJP and anyone else votes for the Trinamool… Mamata Banerjee recites the Chandi Path within the privateness of a room, however when she recites it publicly you say she is attempting to appease… Religion is personal, festivals are for everybody. It isn’t my quote however it is extremely Calcutta. It’s very Bengal. There is a Jewish Bakery known as Nahoum in Kolkata. The Christmas truffles on the store are baked by Muslim bakers, and you’ll see Bengali Hindus queuing as much as purchase the cake. That’s the Bengal we all know. This isn’t Amit Shah’s Bengal, this isn’t Modi’s Bengal. Derek O’Brien is a minuscule minority of a minority. I don’t symbolize an Anglo-Indian nominated seat. I’m an elected member of the Rajya Sabha. It can solely occur in Bengal with Mamata Banerjee.
    SANTANU CHOWDHURY: Does the Trinamool have a plan in place to handle the Covid-19 disaster if it returns to energy?
    The very first thing we are going to do is implement free vaccination from May 2. When the March 2020 lockdown announcement occurred, no one was taken into confidence — neither Parliament nor the state. It’s solely later that Modi and Shah realised that the states did all of the soiled work when it got here to implementation. Earlier, they had been fast to take the credit score… Overconfidence, conceitedness, hubris… Now it’s again to what the states can do. (In case of the TMC) a minimum of you already know who will implement the insurance policies. Who will implement it for the BJP? Who is their CM candidate?… The query of the BJP successful Bengal doesn’t come up. They have overestimated this election by an unlimited proportion.
    SWEETY MISHRA: Youngsters in Bengal really feel that the state hasn’t provided them a lot.
    Perception constructing is an space the place we are able to do higher. For instance, IT exports in Bengal went up by 175 per cent within the final 10 years. We should get this throughout. There are 1,500 corporations now in Bengal. In 2011, there have been 490 corporations. There had been 90,000 IT professionals in 2011. Now, there are nearly 2,20,000 IT professionals…
    DIPANKAR GHOSE: Has spiritual polarisation elevated on the bottom in Bengal?
    There could also be three causes for that. The first cause is that there’s an Opposition vacuum created after the collapse of the Left and the non-existence of the Congress. That must be occupied.
    Number two, the BJP can’t compete on governance and growth, so that they wish to write a brand new story for Bengal, which is a divisive, polarised one. There is little doubt about it. And the third cause is that they run a very detrimental marketing campaign. You wish to recruit, you’ll recruit anyone, there isn’t a natural progress there…
    There are three BJPs in Bengal. One is the ‘BJP Original’, which is Dilip Ghosh’s BJP… Then there’s a ‘BJP B’, which has those that left the Trinamool Congress 5 years in the past. And the third one is ‘BJP Tatkal’, made from those that joined the get together within the final three-four months for numerous causes… After the outcomes on May 2, when the Trinamool wins, these three BJPs can’t perform collectively… I’m saying this as a scholar of politics.
    MANOJ CG: During the 2018 panchayat elections, when the Trinamool candidates had been uncontested in 30% of the seats, it was the Opposition that had attacked the State Election Commission for his or her candidates not with the ability to file nominations…
    We have been a political get together since 1998… You can’t level out a single political get together which hasn’t made errors. When you introspect… after all, the 2018 (panchayat polls) didn’t go nicely for us. We may have carried out that otherwise….
    All events make errors, even larger errors. But belief Didi, she is the captain of the ship. That is why we’re quietly assured. When there are skilled surveys (performed) by the TMC, the Chief Minister’s rankings are proper up there. With the Chief Minister’s ranking hovering round 50 per cent, you’ll be able to definitely take a look at these numbers and say the CM’s personal credibility is sweet. And that’s what will see us by means of ultimately.
    SHUBHAJIT ROY: If the Trinamool loses the election on May 2, will you settle for the decision or blame EVMs and the EC for the outcomes?
    Why ought to I enable a detrimental thought to return to my thoughts? Why ought to I enable a hypothetical query? Why ought to I enable a query when my information and suggestions from the bottom says we’re comfortably forward of the BJP in comparison with 2019. We are successful this election, Mamata Banerjee would be the chief minister for the third time in a row. The two turncoat ministers from the TMC will probably be defeated. And the Union Minister may also lose within the polls.
    …During the firing in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar, 4 individuals died. No matter what the result’s on May 2, the EC, Amit Shah or whoever it’s, must be held accountable. Where is the video footage? Where are the two,000 individuals who got here round and did all these barbaric acts (attacked the safety forces)? Where is the video footage of snatching of weapons? No matter what occurs on May 2, why did you shoot to kill? Why didn’t you shoot waist downwards? These are the massive questions which the EC has to reply. One of the human tragedies of this election is that the EC was capturing to kill. We will take this up from the afternoon of May 2.
    The EC difficulty is not going to cease as a result of it isn’t concerning the EC. It is about an establishment… Irrespective of the outcome, I’ll truly disclose official conversations between the EC and the Trinamool. I’m instructed that these conversations had been recorded. If I can entry these conversations, I have to expose it.

  • Scarred by lockdown, migrant employees return residence to vote in opposition to CAA-NRC

    For a number of migrant employees within the districts of Malda and Murshidabad, which go to the polls within the remaining two phases, the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown final 12 months was a traumatic ordeal that left deep scars of their psyche. They are again residence this time round to keep away from a repeat of final 12 months, and to vote within the Assembly elections as they’re afraid of the BJP’s promise to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC).
    As the second wave of the pandemic began raging in Delhi, 38-year-old Malda resident Akhtar Hossain began for residence — within the district’s Haldibari space — alongside along with his spouse and three kids.
    “I work at a steel plant in Rithala in Delhi’s Rohini area. Last year I was stuck for 53 days in lockdown. I filled up many forms, called up leaders of various political parties. No one helped me. Lastly, I returned home in a truck. I was there almost without food in a huge helpless situation. This year, I could not take any risk. As the situation worsened, I started from Delhi to return home,” Hossain tells The Indian Express on the Rathbari More bus cease in Malda city.
    He provides, “Last year the experience was a nightmare for us. So, I could not take a risk this year. I know that will I not get any work here. But, I know I can stay well with my families here and somehow we will survive. I’d have died had I been in Delhi and another lockdown was announced.”
    Hossain’s expertise is shared by a number of different migrant labourers from the 2 districts who had been caught in different states final 12 months.
    Rabiul Sheikh, 24, a resident of Dakshin Gajinagar in Murshidabad’s Dhulian space, is a mason by career. Last 12 months, he was caught in Chennai.
    “This year, instead of Chennai we went to the Milan Mela ground opposite Science City in Kolkata for construction work. There are two reasons — one, following the start of the pandemic work dried up in Chennai; and the other reason, if lockdown happens again, we can easily return from Kolkata. I am back home now for personal work and to cast vote. We are not much eager to go outside for work. This is our compulsion because in Murshidabad there is no work for us,” he provides.
    According to 30-year-old Mohammad Kalimuddin, a resident of Chinabazar in Malda’s Baishnabnagar space, there may be not a lot work for migrant labourers like him in Kolkata. “This year we went to Kolkata but we got only 10 days of work. Then, we returned. After the election, if Covid cases drop, we will again plan to go to Chennai.” he provides.
    The lockdown final 12 months was not an ordeal for 45-year-old Debkumar Sarkar, who owns a fish and meat store in Noida. He weathered the shutdown there. A resident of Gajol in Malda, Sarkar says, “I returned with my family this year because we want to cast our vote. We have heard that this year casting vote is very important because we have to prove our citizenship.”
    Amid the second wave, a number of labourers are returning residence to vote, confirms 31-year-old Lal Muhammed Sheikh. Both Sheikh and his father, residents of Samsergunj in Murshidabad, are “munshis” or contractors. They organize work for migrant labourers, who pay them a fee. The “munshis” additionally obtain cash from the businesses they lease the employees to.
    “Every year we used to send around 150 labourers to Ghaziabad and Noida for construction work. Here they can earn only Rs 270 a day. There they used to get Rs 250 a day and three meals a day. During lockdown last year, we brought back every labourer around April and May. This year half of them returned, almost all are back to cast their vote,” Sheikh says.
    He provides that these employees need to cease the BJP’s plans to implement the CAA, and the proposed NRC. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is eager to mobilise these employees and breach the Congress’s maintain in these districts. Though Akhtar Hossain Hossain says migrant employees didn’t get any job — together with work underneath the 100 days’ job scheme — final 12 months after returning to the state, “this is the time to stop communal politics in our state and we have to choose those who can defeat the BJP”.
    Kalimuddin, nonetheless, is extra vital of the ruling social gathering. He says, “TMC did not give us 100 days’ work. All the money went to panchayat leaders. So, we are fed up with this.”

    In the final elections, 29 of the 34 seats within the two districts went to the Left and the Congress, that are contesting the polls this time as a part of the Sanjukta Morcha, or United Front, together with the Indian Secular Front.
    In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress gained the Berhampore and the Malda South constituencies, whereas the TMC bagged Murshidabad and Jangipur. The BJP opened its account within the area by profitable Malda North.

    The CPI(M) is assured of receiving the assist of the migrant employees from the world, claiming that it was the one social gathering that stood with them throughout final 12 months’s lockdown. A neighborhood CPI(M) chief in Samshergunj, Mohammad Jakir, says, “During the lockdown, we were the only ones to stand with the migrant workers. There was no one else to arrange quarantine centres and other facilities for them.”

  • Mamata to Election Commission: BJP precipitated Covid surge in Bengal, ban outsiders

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday urged the Election Commission to cease the BJP from bringing in “outsiders” for campaigning within the ongoing Assembly elections, and blamed the saffron celebration for inflicting the Covid-19 surge within the state.
    “When Covid-19 cases were low, the virus became weak. Modi could have given vaccinations to everyone. Today, Covid cases are on the rise because of him and the outsiders who are entering the state, spreading the virus and fleeing. We have no problem with the prime minister and other leaders coming. But, why are they bringing men from the worst-affected states?” Banerjee mentioned at a rally. She campaigned within the districts of Nadia and North 24 Parganas.
    At a gathering at Jagatdal in North 24 Parganas, the TMC chief mentioned Covid checks of these coming into the state, decorators and employees ought to be made obligatory.
    She claimed that the state of affairs in states resembling Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, each dominated by the BJP, was far worse than in Bengal. “In UP, they have built walls around cremation sites to secretly burn bodies. The situation in Gujarat is alarming. A Bengali lady professor died there of coronavirus due to lack of treatment.”
    The TMC chief claimed if the BJP remained within the state, it will “snatch the dignity of every person” and lift fuel costs to Rs 5,000. “People will not be able to survive.”

    Urging folks to vote, Banerjee mentioned, “If you do not then the BJP will take advantage and delete your name from voters’ list and then you will have to prove your citizenship.”

    EC: Seizures in 4 states, UT value over Rs 1,000 cr
    The EC on Friday mentioned report seizures value over Rs 1,000 crore have been made thus far within the 4 poll-going states and Puducherry as a part of the expenditure monitoring course of. The seizures already surpass the overall seizures made in meeting elections (Rs 225 crore) to those states and the union territory in 2016, it mentioned.
    With PTI inputs

  • Follow Covid norms or will ban rallies, Election Commission tells events

    Taking a severe view of the laxity in following Covid-19 protocol throughout campaigns, the Election Commission Friday warned all political events that it’ll not hesitate in banning rallies and conferences if precautions are usually not adhered to in the course of the remaining phases of elections in West Bengal.
    In its letter to all recognised state and nationwide political events, the fee reiterated its tips on holding election rallies amid the pandemic.
    The ballot physique additionally flagged situations of candidates and star campaigners not sporting masks and the gatherings at their rallies brazenly flouting norms of social distancing.

    “It is advisable that political leaders/candidates who have the incumbent duty to control spread of COVID, demonstrate by their personal example and nudge all supporters in the beginning rally, meetings and campaign itself to wear masks, use sanitisers and put in place crowd control measures as per social distancing norms,” the letter reads.
    The letter has come at a time when the variety of every day Covid-19 circumstances has been rising extra quickly.

  • Gehlot says Centre making states financially weaker

    Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Centre’s financial insurance policies, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday charged that the central authorities was making states financially weaker.
    Gehlot on Thursday prolonged assist to Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, days after she wrote to Opposition leaders asking them to unite towards the BJP’s “one-party authoritarian rule” and proposing that they chart a plan of motion after the on-going polls.
    Taking to Twitter, Gehlot mentioned, “West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta ji has written a letter to all Opposition parties. What she has said about the Centre withholding the funds of the states, I had raised this in the Assembly earlier, on the way Centre is giving a step motherly treatment to the states.”
    “On one hand, the Prime Minister speaks of cooperative federalism, but on the other, the states are being weakened economically. The state is also not getting the full share in GST from the Centre,” the CM mentioned.
    In paperwork shared by way of his Twitter deal with, he mentioned that the NDA authorities has had an inclination to impose cess and surcharge and shrink the divisible pool.
    “Under the 13th Finance Commission, the share of cess and surcharge in Centre’s revenue tax was 12.9 per cent, which has now increased to 18.3 per cent. This has limited the share of central taxes to just 81.7 per cent. The actual share of states in the divisible pool has reduced from 41 per cent to just 34 per cent,” the doc learn.

    He mentioned that concurrently, non-divisible pool has been elevated whereas lowering state’s shares. “For example, additional excise/special excise/cess has been imposed on petrol diesel while basic excise duty has been decreased,” he mentioned.

    The CM mentioned that as per 14th Finance Commission suggestions, states’ share in central tax income was elevated from 32 per to 42 per cent. However, this has been negated by the Union authorities by growing the state’s shares in Centrally Sponsored Schemes far more than the advantages which may outcome from a rise in states’ shares in income taxes. The CM additionally hooked up a listing of schemes exhibiting the change in share of their burden between states and the Centre.
    Additionally, the CM mentioned that the Centre is additional altering the sharing patterns by imposing a cap and placing further monetary burden on the states. As instance, he cited how, underneath Ayushman Bharat-Mahatma Gandhi Rajasthan Swasthya Bima Yojana (AB-MGRSBY) the Centre and state have a 60:40 share. However, Centre has capped premium at Rs 1,052 per household, which has restricted Centre’s share to only 37 per cent, down from 60 per cent, whereas state’s share has elevated from 40 per cent to 63 per cent.

  • Opinion | How BJP goes to counter Mamata’s sympathy think about Bengal polls

    Image Source : INDIA TV Opinion | How BJP goes to counter Mamata’s sympathy think about Bengal polls
    The political battle strains in Bengal have now been drawn with Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee deciding to deal with her election rally in Purulia on March 15, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching his marketing campaign from March 18.
    On Friday night, Mamata Banerjee was discharged from SSKM Hospital in Kolkata after 48 hours of commentary. Visuals of Mamata sitting in a wheelchair together with her left leg solid in plaster, have now change into the important thing poster for Bengal elections. The docs had suggested her full relaxation and had stated that her leg could be examined after every week. But the chief minister and her aides have now determined that she would resume her ballot marketing campaign.
    On Friday after her discharge from hospital, Mamata appeared weak and in ache. She was unable to face up from her wheelchair. Her safety personnel helped her by shifting the chief to the entrance seat of the car. Mamata didn’t communicate to the media after being discharged, however it’s now virtually sure that she can be addressing most of her rallies sitting in a wheelchair. On Sunday (March 14), she’s going to launch her celebration election manifesto in Kolkata.
    Now that her harm has change into the speaking level amongst widespread voters in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress leaders expect an enormous sympathy wave in favour of their chief. Both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP have demanded probe into the incident in Nandigram through which Mamata was injured. Whatever often is the final result of the probe, the sight of the chief minister addressing rallies sitting in a wheelchair is bound to change into an enormous draw among the many crowds.
    A senior Trinamool chief like Saugata Roy tried to hyperlink three factors. He stated, one, state BJP leaders Dilip Ghosh and Saumitra Khan had already predicted that one thing was going to occur in Nandigram, two, the Prime Minister in his Brigade Parade floor speech had requested, what if Mamata’s scooty slipped in Nandigram, and three, the DGP and ADG(Law and Order) of state police had been all of a sudden eliminated.
    It is true Modi had requested what if Mamata’s scooty slipped in Nandigram, however it was a figurative comment. He was questioning whether or not Mamta would lose the Nandigram ballot, however the PM’s comment was torn out of context by a senior chief like Saugata Roy. On Friday, Trinamool employees took out silent protest marches to sentence what they stated ‘attack on our leader’.  Till Wednesday, Mamata’s celebration was on the defensive with a number of leaders deserting the celebration, however Mamata’s harm has now kindled enthusiasm amongst her candidates and supporters.  
    Naturally, the BJP management is anxious and their ballot calculations have gone awry. If Mamata’s harm turns into the primary political concern, it’ll certainly act as a bonus level for Trinamool Congress. With Mamata campaigning in a wheelchair, the message to the voters will exit loud and clear. The ‘daughter of Bengal’ is bound to realize sympathy, notably amongst ladies voters.

    The BJP management will now must calculate how you can decrease the political injury that this incident has brought about. Till the center of this week, BJP was on the offensive, on points like minorities appeasement, Hindu points, political killings, and dying of BJP supporters. But now, the desk appears to have been turned.
    A Mamata, sitting in a wheelchair, and levelling allegations about how she was attacked, is bound to go down deep into the psyche of the widespread Bengali voters. The visuals of Mamata’s left leg solid in plaster are certainly going to place the BJP on the defensive. BJP leaders could query, why Mamata was silent when BJP President J P Nadda’s convoy was attacked in Diamond Harbour.
    The solely comfort for the BJP is that there at the moment are many leaders now within the celebration, who had been earlier related to Mamata Banerjee. They know very effectively how Mamata, prior to now, used her accidents to sway voters. These leaders are certainly going to inform the voters that Mamata’s harm was a ‘political drama’. The most distinguished of those leaders is Suvendu Adhikari, who, on Friday, filed his nomination from Nandigram in opposition to Mamata. It is Suvendu Adhikari who’s now going to name the bluff.
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  • What eyewitnesses need to say on Mamata Banerjee’s declare ‘she was attacked in Nandigram’ | Watch

    Image Source : ANI Eyewitness, a pupil offers an account of the incident that occurred in Nandigram which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated was an assault on her.
    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday was admitted to Kolkata’s SSKM hospital for remedy after her declare that she was pushed by 4-5 folks, throughout her election marketing campaign in Nandigram. The Chief Minister alleged she was manhandled through the marketing campaign due to which she was injured within the left leg.

    The incident occurred round 6.15 pm when Banerjee was about to go away Birulia space close to Reyapara after praying at an area temple.

    “I was standing outside my car with the door open. I was praying from there on seeing a temple. Few people came around my car and pushed the door. The door hit my leg,” she stated.

    Meanwhile, an eyewitness, a pupil gave an account of the incident that occurred in Nandigram which Mamata Banerjee stated was an assault on her. Speaking to ANI, eyewitness Suman Maity stated, “When CM came here, public gathered around her, at the time she got hurt in her neck and leg, not pushed, car was moving slowly.”

    ALSO READ | Mamata Banerjee injured in Nandigram; ‘some folks pushed me’, Bengal CM says

    While one other eyewitness Chitranjan Das, who was current at Nandigram’s Birulia the place WB CM suffered damage stated, “I was there, she (CM) was sitting inside her car but the door was open. The door closed after it touched a poster. Nobody pushed or hit…there was no one near the door.” 

    However, Banerjee alleged that she was pushed by four-five males whereas she was attempting to get into the automotive, following which fell flat on her face.

    The chief minister stated that her leg received swollen due to the damage and she or he was feeling feverish, in addition to having chest ache.

    Pointing to her leg, she instructed reporters, “See how it has swollen.”

    “Some people deliberately did it. Of course, it is a conspiracy. There were no local policemen around me, neither the district police superintendent was present at the spot,” she alleged.

    ALSO READ | Mamata information nomination from Nandigram, units up epic battle towards Suvendu

    The chief minister additionally has extreme ache within the waist, TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who’s at current in Nandigram, stated.

    Banerjee was seen being carried by her safety personnel to the backseat of her SUV from the entrance seat, which she normally occupies throughout journey, as she was in ache. A white fabric was additionally wrapped round her injured leg.

    The incident triggered a safety scare because the chief minister will get Z-plus safety.

    ALSO READ | ‘Was it Taliban’: BJP raises questions over Mamata’s damage claims

     
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  • BJP native chief shot at in West Bengal’s Nadia district

    Image Source : PTI BJP native chief shot at in West Bengal’s Nadia district
    A 32-year-old native BJP chief was shot at and injured in Haringhata space of West Bengal’s Nadia district, the police stated on Sunday. During a patrol, police personnel discovered Sanjay Das close to a tea stall at Kapileswar Santoshpur and admitted him to a hospital, SP of Ranaghat Police District, VSR Ananthnag, stated.

    Das, a sales space president of the BJP beneath ward no. 10 of Haringhata Municipality, is acknowledged to be out of hazard. The BJP alleged that goons sheltered by the Trinamool Congress had been behind the incident. The ruling get together within the state denied the cost and claimed that it was the fallout of a conflict among the many members of a gaggle, who’re related to the saffron get together.

    The SP stated that when policemen on patrol stopped their automobile close to a tea stall beside National Highway 12 at round 2.30 am on Sunday, they discovered some individuals had been sitting on the bottom a brief distance away. On noticing the policemen, all besides one particular person fled.

    Ananthnag stated that the trouser of the particular person, later recognized as Das, was soaked in blood and he was in an inebriated situation. He advised the police that one particular person within the group fired at him and the bullet hit him within the waist, the SP stated.

    Das’ father lodged a grievance with the police within the night, naming a number of individuals as accused. He stated that his son advised him that one particular person within the group fired at him following a heated argument over some political challenge.

    ALSO READ: ‘If BJP desires to purchase votes, take the cash and vote for TMC’: Mamata urges voters 
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  • WB polls: 3,064 cubicles designated for 9 meeting seats throughout West Bardhaman district

    Image Source : PTI WB polls: 3,064 cubicles designated for 9 meeting seats
    As many as 3,064 cubicles have been designated for 9 meeting seats in West Bardhaman district for the upcoming West Bengal polls, 618 greater than the final meeting elections, in gentle of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. While addressing a press convention in Asansol, District Magistrate Purnendu Kumar Maji knowledgeable that the full variety of voters is 22,31,749, out of which 11,46,969 are male, 10,74,732 are feminine and 48 are third gender voters.
    As many as 763 extremely delicate and 827 delicate cubicles have been recognised.
    “The total number of voting booths in the district is 3,064. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the number of booths in the district has increased by 618. Earlier the number of booths was 2,446,” Maji mentioned whereas addressing a press convention. 
    An further 1.27 lakh electors have registered to vote this time. About 450 polling stations could have an all-woman polling employees, and all cubicles will probably be offered fundamental amenities like ingesting water and bathrooms.
    “A total of 15,230 polling staff will be present across all booths, about 90 per cent of whom have undergone training. The 1,500 who did not attend training have been given a show-cause notice. Action will be taken against those who fail to respond within the stipulated time,” the DM added.

    The Election Commission of India on Friday introduced that West Bengal will witness eight-phased Assembly polls starting March 27. The counting of votes will happen on May 2.
    Addressing a press convention, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora mentioned, “30 Assembly constituencies in five districts will go to polls in the first phase on March 27. 30 Assembly constituencies in four districts will go to polls in the second phase on April 1. In the third phase, 31 constituencies in 3 districts will go to the polls on April 6. 44 constituencies in five districts will go for polling on April 10.”
    “In the fifth phase, 45 constituencies in six districts will witness polling on April 17. 43 constituencies in four districts in the sixth phase will go to polls on April 22. 36 constituencies in five districts in the seventh phase will go for polling on April 26. In the eighth and final phase, 35 constituencies in four districts will witness polling on April 29,” added Arora.
    (With ANI inputs)

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  • EC removes Bengal’s ADG (legislation & order) Jawed Shamim a day after asserting ballot dates

    Image Source : FILE PHOTO/ PTI EC removes Bengal’s ADG (legislation & order) Jawed Shamim a day after asserting ballot dates
    A day after asserting the dates for meeting polls in West Bengal, the Election Commission on Saturday eliminated Additional Director General of Police (Law and order) Jawed Shamim and introduced in Jag Mohan in his place, an official order mentioned.
    Shamim, a 1995-batch IPS officer, will substitute Mohan because the DG Fire Services within the rank of ADG, the chief electoral officer (CEO) of the state mentioned within the order.
    The shuffle got here hours after a BJP delegation, which included MPs Swapan Dasgupta and Arjun Singh, met CEO Ariz Aftab and urged him to take away “biased” law enforcement officials from election responsibility.
    The Mamata Banerjee authorities had made Shamim, who was Special Commissioner of Police (II) of the Kolkata Police, the state ADG (Law and order) earlier this month forward of the meeting polls.
    Elections to the West Bengal meeting can be held in eight phases, up from seven final time. The first and final part of polling can be held on March 27 and April 29 respectively. Votes can be counted on May 2.

    On the elevated variety of phases within the state, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Friday mentioned when the EC assesses the legislation and order scenario, the evaluation relies on a number of elements and it additionally has to bear in mind prices and counter-charges by political events.
    “The way the police administration is functioning in West Bengal, it is evident that fair polling is not possible here. We can name a few police officers who are posted in the city. If they continue in their posts, free and fair elections are not possible,” Dasgupta advised reporters after assembly the CEO.
    He claimed that a number of requests to Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra for a gathering on this connection fell on deaf ears.
    “That’s why we came to the commission today,” the BJP MP added.
    Besides being the Director General Fire Services, Shamim may also maintain the cost of DG Civil Defence until additional discover, the CEO’s order mentioned.
    Mohan, a 1991-batch IPS officer, may also be the state police nodal officer. 
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