West Bengal Elections

Independent Candidate And Ex-Trinamool Councilor Commits Suicide After Losing Poll

Cities | Press Trust of India | Friday August 18, 2017

An Independent candidate who lost the municipal elections from Cooper's Camp Notified Area in Nadia district of West Bengal has ended her life at her residence yesterday, her husband said.

Trinamool's Total Triumph In Bengal Civic Polls, BJP Distant Second

India News | Reported by Monideepa Banerjie, edited by Abhinav Bhatt | Friday August 18, 2017

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has swept all seven urban local bodies for which elections were held in West Bengal on Sunday. Of a total 148 wards, the Trinamool has won a massive 140 and the BJP six. The Left's seat was won by the Forward Bloc, while the CPM and Congress drew a blank.

West Bengal Civic Body Polls: Opposition Demands Fresh Election

India News | Written by Monideepa Banerjie | Monday August 14, 2017

Major opposition parties in West Bengal have demanded cancellation of elections to the seven municipal bodies held today, alleging widespread violence and booth-capturing by Trinamool Congress workers.

PM Narendra Modi Congratulates Venkaiah Naidu As He Takes Charge As India's 13th Vice President: Highlights

India News | Edited by Revathi Hariharan | Friday August 11, 2017

M Venkaiah Naidu, 68, who was elected as India's Vice President on August 5 will take oath today. Venkaiah Naidu had defeated former West Bengal Governor and Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the opposition candidate.

Rajya Sabha Election 2017: Here Is How Members Are Elected To Upper House

India News | Edited by Nidhi Sethi | Monday August 7, 2017

As 10 Rajya Sabha members retire this month, political parties gear up for an intense political battle in Rajya Sabha tomorrow to fill those vacancies. The focus on tomorrow's elections remains largely on Gujarat where BJP's Amit Shah and Smriti Irani will easily win two of the three seats given the BJP's majority. Congress' Ahmed Patel is in for a...

Mamata Banerjee Extends Support To Congress Candidate For Rajya Sabha Polls

India News | Press Trust of India | Friday July 28, 2017

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today extended her party's support to Congress candidate Pradip Bhattacharya for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Mamata Banerjee, Winning 5 Bengal Rajya Sabha Seats, Suggests Meira Kumar For The 6th

India News | Written by Monideepa Banerjie | Thursday July 27, 2017

From one of the most predictable elections of all, one out of six seats from West Bengal to the Upper House of parliament has suddenly put several political parties in a spin. The Bihar drama is only adding to the confusion over that seat. The other five are virtually in the bag for the Trinamool, given its huge majority in the state Assembly.

Bengal Congress Proposes Meira Kumar As Rajya Sabha Candidate

India News | Press Trust of India | Wednesday July 26, 2017

West Bengal Congress leadership has urged the party high command to consider former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar as a candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the state.

Over Lunch, Opposition Parties Put Ball In Government's Court On President

India News | Reported by Sunil Prabhu, Edited by Shylaja Varma | Saturday May 27, 2017

Opposition parties will wait to see whether the candidate picked by the government for President is acceptable to them before deciding whether they will force a contest, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday after attending a lunch hosted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi for leaders of 17 opposition parties in a show of unity ...

Mamata Banerjee Floats New Formula On President After Meeting PM Modi

India News | Reported By Sunil Prabhu, Edited By Indroneil B Biswas | Friday May 26, 2017

A day before opposition parties meet in a big show of strength over lunch hosted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss a joint candidate to field for President, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has pitched for a consensus candidate - one supported by both opposition parties and the government.

Opposition's 'Pehle Aap' Strategy On President And A Role For Mamata Banerjee

India News | Written by Monideepa Banerjie | Friday May 19, 2017

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be back in Delhi next week for a meeting of several opposition parties to decide on who they will field for President against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's nominee. But they are unlikely to make an announcement till the NDA names its candidate in a 'Pehle AAP' or you first strategy.

Mamata Banerjee's Party Scores In Civic Polls, Steps Into Darjeeling Hills

India News | Reported by Monideepa Banerjie | Wednesday May 17, 2017

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's latest victory - her Trinamool Congress has taken four of seven municipal bodies in Bengal where elections were held - is made sweeter by a win in Mirik in the hills of Darjeeling, a stronghold for years of BJP ally the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM).

Mamata Banerjee Meets Sonia Gandhi, Says No Names For President Discussed

India News | Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Wednesday May 17, 2017

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to bat for a joint candidate for the upcoming presidential election. The Trinamool Congress chief said names were not discussed, but they had agreed on the need for consensus.

In Hospital With Food Poisoning, Sonia Gandhi Dials Mamata Banerjee

India News | Reported by Sunil Prabhu, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Wednesday May 10, 2017

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been admitted to Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital after a bout of food poisoning. Hospital chairman DS Rana said the 70-year-old, who was admitted on Sunday, is better and will be discharged today. From her hospital bed, Mrs Gandhi on Tuesday called West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Trinamool Congress...

BJP Strong No 2 In West Bengal By-Poll, Top Leaders Assigned To Win State

India News | Reported by Saurabh Gupta | Friday April 14, 2017

After shocking the Left by placing second in this week's assembly by-election in West Bengal behind the ruling Trinamool Congress, the BJP has launched a 'Mission Bengal' that aims at preparing the party to make major inroads in the panchayat or local elections to be held next year. The party is sending senior leaders to West Bengal to interact wit...

'Dal Main Kaala', Says Mamata Banerjee On BJP's Victory In Uttar Pradesh

India News | Reported by Saurabh Gupta, Edited by Indroneil B Biswas | Friday March 24, 2017

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed serious doubt over the massive mandate won by the BJP in the recently held assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

BJP Protests Against Trinamool Congress Leaders Seen In Narada Sting

Kolkata News | Written by Saurabh Gupta | Thursday March 23, 2017

The BJP in Kolkata on Wednesday hit the streets demanding the resignation of Trinamool Congress lawmakers and ministers who were allegedly seen on tape accepting bribes for favours. The Narada sting was released just before the assembly elections in West Bengal last year but last week the Calcutta High Court said prima facie it seemed to be a cogni...

'Let's See How Well BJP Does In Next Election:' Mamata Banerjee's Dare On Notes Ban

India News | Reported by Sunetra Choudhury, Edited by Raija Susan Panicker | Wednesday November 23, 2016

Mamata Banerjee, in the second edition of her street protests in Delhi over the government's currency ban, today threw a dare. "Let's see how well the BJP does in the upcoming elections," said the West Bengal Chief Minister who has taken a frontline position in the opposition's attack on the government.

In First Vote After Notes Ban, By-Polls In 6 States

India News | Agencies | Tuesday November 22, 2016

By-elections were held in six states and one union territory today - the polls are expected to be the first referendum since the ban on 500 and 1,000 rupee notes was announced by the BJP-led government at the centre.

Polling Begins For Bengal By-Polls

India News | Indo-Asian News Service | Saturday November 19, 2016

Polling began amidst enthusiasm for by-elections to two Lok Sabha and one assembly seats in West Bengal at 7 am on Saturday.

Bengal Bypolls To Be Held Under Shadow Of Demonetisation

India News | Press Trust of India | Friday November 18, 2016

By-elections will be held in two Lok Sabha constituencies and one Assembly constituency in West Bengal tomorrow under the shadow of the Centre's demonetisation decision.

Mamata Banerjee Chalks Out 'Roadmap' To Counter BJP-RSS In West Bengal

India News | Press Trust of India | Saturday October 22, 2016

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee today chalked out a three-point programme to "counter the rise of the BJP-RSS combine" in the state.

Debate Over Aligning With Congress At CPI-M Plenum

Kolkata News | Press Trust of India | Saturday October 1, 2016

The debate over aligning with Congress featured majorly at the ongoing CPI(M) state plenum and party general secretary Sitaram Yechury today said there is a need to put up an united fight with all the "secular and democratic forces" to resist the "terror" of ruling TMC.

Mamata Banerjee Sets Eyes On Tripura, Left Says 'Depending On People'

India News | Written by Saurabh Gupta | Sunday August 14, 2016

Elections are still a year away in Tripura but the political battle has begun to heat up. With the BJP entering the equation and an aggressive Trinamool Congress coming out of a stupendous victory in West Bengal, the ruling Left in Tripura has reasons to be worried.

Need To Take Congress Along To Counter Trinamool, Says CPI(M)

India News | Press Trust of India | Friday August 5, 2016

Defying the party stand, CPI(M) state Secretary Surya Kanta Mishra today said the party's Bengal unit will have to take Congress along in order to fight against the "terror" of Trinamool.

Haunted By 'Ghost of The Hand', CPM Orders Bengal Leaders To 'Rectify'

India News | Written by Monideepa Banerjie | Tuesday July 12, 2016

Rectify. That is the latest message to be sent down the CPM ranks, with the ghost of the Left party's alliance with the Congress in the West Bengal elections not quite laid to rest yet.

CPM Rips Into Bengal Unit For Congress Tie-Up, Says 'Rectify It'

India News | Reported by Hridayesh Joshi, Monideepa Banerjie, Sandeep Phukan | Tuesday June 21, 2016

After the unprecedented and summary expulsion of a member of its top decision making body on the issue, the CPM today pulled up its Bengal unit for its alliance with the Congress in the just concluded Assembly elections that Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress won by a mile.

An Eye For An Eye, Says Bengal BJP Chief Who Threatened Mamata's Party

India News | Reported by Monideepa Banerjie, Edited by Shuchi Shukla | Monday May 30, 2016

The BJP's Bengal chief Dillip Ghosh made headlines over the weekend for saying that his party's workers', "trained by the RSS, can break the neck of people with bare hands." The threat was directed at Trinamool workers. Two days later, the 52-year-old saw no reason to withdraw his aggressive comments.

Mamata Banerjee Takes Oath As Chief Minister Of West Bengal: Live Updates

India News | Friday May 27, 2016

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will today take oath as Chief Minister of West Bengal for a second time at the gala swearing-in ceremony to be held at prestigious Red Road in Kolkata.

Several Police Officers Transferred Before Bengal Polls Reinstated

India News | Written by Monideepa Banerjie | Thursday May 26, 2016

The West Bengal government has undone what the Election Commission did ahead of the assembly polls in the state. It has reinstated many of the 68 officers the poll panel had transferred to ensure free and fair polls.