Opinion

Sonia Gandhi Writes Of Pranab Mukherjee's PM Ambition. The Story Behind It

Indira Gandhi, Rajiv, Sonia, and even Rahul gave Pranab Mukherjee considerable political importance. Yet, the Gandhi family never fully accepted him as one of its own. His PM ambitions are mentioned in Sonia's book, but that's not the whole story.

Opinion | Baruipur To Gaighata, Inside Suvendu Adhikari's Zero-Tolerance Approach To Crime

From Baruipur in the South 24 Parganas district to Gaighata in North 24 Parganas, a new political culture is emerging in West Bengal. Although both districts are adjacent to Kolkata, the developments in these areas have become part of a wider political message. Suvendu Adhikari has adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards rape, making it clear tha...

Opinion | BJP Rules Out Trinamoolisation' Ahead Of Civic Polls, But Can It Afford To?

BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya has made the party's position clear, saying that the BJP will contest the Kolkata Municipal Corporation election independently and does not need any other party's support. According to this position, there will be no coalition or electoral adjustment with any faction of the Trinamool Congress. However, on the ...

Blog | How Durga Puja Has Changed Over 60 Years

I have been observing Durga Puja in Kolkata for more than six decades. Like every cultural phenomenon, Durga Puja is not static. It changes constantly; it is dynamic and remains in a state of flux. However, Durga Puja 2026 has been distinctly different and represents a new cultural phenomenon. One noticeable change has been the role played by th...

Kolkata Durga Puja Stampede: Suvendu Adhikari's First Major Challenge As Chief Minister

The tragedy is not simply a question of how a single puja committee organised its festival. It is also a test of the administration's ability to anticipate risks and respond effectively when a large public gathering becomes dangerous.

Opinion | Amit Shah, Durga Puja, And An Attempt To Deepen Connect With Bengal's Roots

The Home Minister's Durga Puja engagements will begin at Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission

Opinion: Tagore And Sarat Chandra's 1927 Dispute Returns In Srijit Mukherji's New Film

A hundred years ago the British banned a book because of the ideas it contained. The novelist was Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay - one of the literary legends from Bengal. He turned to Rabindranath Tagore for support against the ban. Tagore had a different take on the protest. Cut to 2026, West Bengal has just seen a major political change. And in the...

Opinion | An Outreach, Then 1-To-1 Call: Left-Mamata Banerjee Turbulence Sees Rare Calm

Amul once ran an advertising campaign saying that the best coalition or the best alliance globally is that of bread and butter. When the BJP made an alliance with the Shiv Sena long ago, politicians said it was a natural alliance, as both parties had some ideological similarities. But all parties cannot be natural allies. The question of the curren...

Opinion: Durga Puja In Bengal: Is BJP Trying To Rewrite The Cultural Narrative?

The new possibilities are significant because Durga Puja in Bengal has developed a very distinctive cultural character

Opinion: In PM Modi's Tarakeshwar Visit, A Battle For Bengal's Memory

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting West Bengal's Tarakeshwar on June 20 for three major reasons. The first and most important reason is the celebration of West Bengal Day. The BJP government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has declared June 20 as the official "West Bengal Day", beginning from 2026. The date carries historical signifi...

Abhishek Banerjee: Rise And Fall Of Trinamool's Once-Unchallenged Yuvraj

Abhishek Banerjee is 38 years old. He entered politics at 25 and received exposure that few regional leaders of his generation got

After Bengal Defeat, Is Mamata Banerjee Preparing For National Politics?

Mamata Banerjee has always been known as a leader who carefully calculates her political timing. She does not take steps impulsively, especially after a major electoral setback. That is why her recent shift toward more Delhi-centric politics is now becoming one of the most discussed developments in national opposition politics. The question many...

Trinamool Rebels Play In Midfield As They Seek Mamata Banerjee's Advice

Ritabrata Bandopadhyay, who has now emerged as one of the key faces of the dissident camp inside the Trinamool Congress, recently made a politically significant statement during a press conference. He said that they want Mamata Banerjee to remain as an advisor to their opposition group within the party structure. This statement is extremely impo...

Opinion | Beyond Bakri Eid Debate, Decoding Suvendu Adhikari's Emerging Bengal Model

The developments are being viewed not as isolated administrative decisions but as signals of a broader political framework the BJP government appears to be building in Bengal.

Opinion: Suvendu Adhikari And the Promise of Bengal's 'Second Renaissance'

This election saw the BJP increasingly adapting its political language to Bengal's cultural ethos, blending symbolism around fish, Durga and Kali with promises of economic revival.

Opinion | Mamata Banerjee's Last-Bid Plan And BJP's Bhabanipur Push Collide

One side is fighting through assertion. The other, through proximity. And in Bhabanipur, both strategies are colliding at full intensity

Women's Quota Takes Centrestage in Bengal As Voting Day Approaches

The debate intensified after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused opposition parties of committing foeticide by opposing what he called a genuine constitutional effort to fast-track women's reservation in legislatures

Opinion: Ahead Of Bengal Polls, Decoding The Bhadralok's Views On SIR

In West Bengal, and particularly in Kolkata, the bhadralok have historically played a central role in shaping public opinion.

Opinion | Mamata, Abhishek, And TMC's 'Twin-Track' Strategy For Bengal

Abhishek Banerjee's data-driven, policy-focused messaging and Mamata Banerjee's emotive, grassroots connect form a complementary strategy.

Opinion | Sandeshkhali, RG Kar: Is BJP Trying To Revive The 2 Issues In Bengal?

The BJP has returned to Sandeshkhali with renewed vigour. Rekha Patra has shifted her political activity to Hingalganj, an adjacent constituency, signalling an attempt to expand the issue's geographic resonance.