Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari Assembly Elections 2021 Live Updates: BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday filed his nomination from the Nandigram Assembly constituency against his mentor-turned-opponent Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, and said he was “100 per cent” confident of his win. Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Smriti Irani also took part in the rally before Adhikari filed the nomination papers. “I am 100 per cent confident of my victory in Nandigram. The people of the area are with me. I am the son of the soil,” he told reporters.
Actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan is set to make his electoral debut, contesting from Coimbatore South constituency in the April 6 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president made the announcement in Chennai on Friday, while releasing the second list of his party’s candidates.
Two days after CM Mamata Banerjee suffered an injury in Nandigram, Trinamool Congress delegation of six MPs in a formal complaint to the Election Commission alleged a “deep rooted BJP conspiracy” behind the attack and asked for an “immediate and unbiased” investigation of the same. The delegation includes TMC MPs Dereck O’Brien, Saugata Roy, Satabdi Roy, Kakoli G. Dastidar, Pratima Mondal and Santunu Sen.
Banerjee’s health condition has “improved slightly”, doctors said on Friday. Banerjee on Thursday said that she hopes to recover soon and may use a wheelchair to campaign for the Bengal polls starting March 27. Banerjee also appealed to her party cadres to remain calm.
Election LIVE updates: Statewise seats distribution.
For the first time in 25 years, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front, is fielding a woman candidate in the April 6 assembly elections in Kerala. Noorbina Rasheed is among the 25 candidates announced by the party on Friday, as it dropped two tainted MLAs, including former minister V K Ibrahim Kunju. Eight sitting MLAs have been fielded by the party, besides former Malappuram MP and senior party leader P K Kunhalikutty, who resigned his Lok Sabha seat recently to throw his hat in the state poll arena. --PTI
Former Kerala Congress leader Vijayan Thomas, who was a general secretary in the party, joined the BJP here on Friday. The BJP has been looking to make inroads among the Christian voters in the southern state. It may field Thomas, who hails from the minority community which has a sizeable presence there, in the assembly polls. Elections in the state are scheduled to be held on April 6. Thomas took a swipe at his former party, claiming that it does not have a regional-party presence in many parts of the country and that its leadership does not know what is happening. --PTI
DMK leader MK Stalin on Friday released its 173 member candidate list. Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam leader Kamal Haasan announced the second list of party's candidates. Haasan will be making his electoral debut contesting from Coimbatore South constituency. Trinamool Congress delegation of six MPs in a formal complaint to the Election Commission of India alleged a “deep rooted BJP conspiracy” behind the attack on CM Mamata Banerjee. The Indian Union Muslim League, an ally of the Congress in Kerala, announced candidates in 24 of the 27 seats the party is contesting this time.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was discharged from hospital on a wheelchair at 7 pm on Friday. As she stepped out of the hospital in a wheelchair, Banerjee waved towards her supporters and headed straight to her Kalighat house. State Minister Firhad Hakim and her nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee were present. Doctors said swelling has subsided and she is in less pain.
"She has been discharged on her request with some medical advice. The temporary plaster has been removed. Her injuries have recovered. She is stable and has been asked to review in seven days. Some restrictions has to be followed," said SSKM Director Manimoy Bandyopadhyay.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was admitted to hospital with injuries to her left ankle and pain in chest, shoulders after a group allegedly slammed the door of the car on whose footboard she was standing to greet people. --Sweety Kumari's report
Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday slammed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for getting her photos clicked and affixed to posters claiming credit for central schemes started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and wondered whether the people of the state would vote for "such a daughter" who unleashes violence on mothers and masses. Taking a dig at TMCs poll slogan 'Bangla Nijer Meyeke Chai' (Bengal wants its daughter), Irani wondered if the people would want return of a regime that unleashes political violence on people of the state. --PTI
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday filed his nomination from the Nandigram Assembly constituency against his mentor-turned-opponent Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, and said he was “100 per cent” confident of his win. Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Smriti Irani also took part in the rally before Adhikari filed the nomination papers. “I am 100 per cent confident of my victory in Nandigram. The people of the area are with me. I am the son of the soil,” he told reporters.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) might punish police personnel in charge of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's security for a lapse leading to her injury during campaigning in Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district, a senior election official said on Friday.
The ECI is waiting for reports from the state government and the two observers appointed for the upcoming assembly elections before deciding on the punishment, he said. "There was definitely a lapse on the part of the police personnel who were in charge of the chief minister's security. Anyone shouldn't penetrate the security circle around the CM. We are waiting for reports from the state government and the observers before taking a decision," the ECI official told PTI. --PTI
Congress releases list of 30 star campaigners for West Bengal. The list includes Party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi, ex-PM Dr Manmohan Singh and party leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sachin Pilot, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Abhijit Mukherjee and Mohd Azharuddin.
Tamil Nadu Deputy CM O Panneerselvam files his nomination from Bodinayakanur. "Today I've filed my nomination from Bodinayakanur. I've been a winning candidate for the past 2 times. I've done all works in the constituency. People are satisfied with my work so I've been given this seat again. I hope this time too people will support me," said Panneerselvam.
Two days after CM Mamata Banerjee suffered an injury in Nandigram, Trinamool Congress delegation of six MPs in a formal complaint to the Election Commission alleged a “deep rooted BJP conspiracy” behind the attack and asked for an “immediate and unbiased” investigation of the same.
The delegation includes TMC MPs Dereck O'Brien, Saugata Roy, Satabdi Roy, Kakoli G. Dastidar, Pratima Mondal and Santunu Sen.
Actor Politician Kamal Haasan will be contesting from the Coimbatore South assembly constituency for his Makkal Needhi Maiam party in the upcoming Tamil Nadu polls. Makkal Needhi Maiam will contest from 154 segments out of the 234 constituencies in the polls.MNM inked an agreement with actor-politician Sarathkumar’s All India Samathuva Makhal Katchi and Indiya Jananayaka Katchi to jointly fight the polls.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday filed his nomination from the Nandigram constituency, where he is pitted against Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee filed her nomination for the seat on March 10. While touring the constituency today, Adhikari expressed confidence in the locals saying that they will defeat TMC and BJP will emerge victorious in the upcoming Bengal polls by a “huge margin.
Suvendu Adhikari after filing his nomination on Friday. (ANI)
Stalin released the list of all 173 candidates for the elections, retaining most sitting MLAs including seniors Durai Murugan, K N Nehru, K Ponmudi and MRK Panneerselvam-- all former ministers, besides others.
DMK President M K Stalin on Friday released the list of all 173 candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu polls, nominating himself from the Kolathur constituency once again.
Addressing a press conference at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam here, Stalin said he will file the nomination, which started Friday in the poll-bound state, on March 15 and embark on the next leg of the campaign.
DMK leader MK Stalin on Friday released its 173 member candidate list. The party has given several seats to former ministers and senior leaders. Udhayanidhi Stalin has been fielded from Chepauk-Triplicane constituency. This comes after the party sealed its seat sharing deals on Thursday.
BJP's Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said that there was no question of any competition against BJP and that his party will emerge victorious in the upcoming Bengal polls by a "huge margin." "I'm confident people will support BJP & bring it for real development in West Bengal. There is no question of any competition. BJP won 18 Parliamentary seats in 2019 & it will form a strong govt this time with a huge margin, ANI quoted.
BJP’s Nandigram candidate, set to face Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming Bengal polls on Friday said that “to bring change, we need to remove this TMC.” “TMC has turned into a private company, where only 'Didi' and 'Bhaipo' can speak freely,” Adhikari added.
The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that government officials cannot be appointed as State Election Commissioner. Only independent persons have the power to do so.
As he is set to file his nomination for the Nandigram seat on Friday, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari took a jibe at his opponent Mamata Banerjee, saying that she only remembers them every 5 years when polls come. “'My relationship with them is very old. Mamata Banerjee remembers them every 5 years when polls come. They will defeat her. I am also filing my nomination, I am a voter of Nandigram, ' Adhikari said as he met locals in the constituency today.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is set to file his nomination on Friday for the deeply contested battleground constituency of Nandigram in the upcoming Bengal polls. Before filing, he participated in a 'havan' in Nandigram. Adhikari, who defected from Trinamool Congress will fight Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for his seat.
One of the most divisive faces of Assam politics, Badruddin Ajmal has seen his stock rise even as the attacks on him increase, especially by the ruling BJP. The AIUDF leader who was in 2006 dismissed by then Congress Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi as “Badruddin who?” is now part of a Mahajot (grand alliance) forged by that party.
Ajmal, 65, who founded the AIUDF in 2005, is also a perfume baron, with a family business spread over 50 countries, and a three-time MP from Dhubri.
The AIUDF holds sway over the Bengali-origin Muslim community of Assam, and this election, because of the uncertainties among them over the NRC, Ajmal’s role could be even more crucial. On Wednesday, Ajmal threatened to go to court after a fake video of his giving an incendiary speech surfaced.
In the 2016 polls the AIUDF had won 14 seats (the Congress in comparison got 19). In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls though, its tally had gone down from three to one.( Read Abhishek Saha's piece here)
Arch-rivals DMK and AIADMK on Thursday almost sealed their seat-sharing deals with allies for the coming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu on the eve of opening of nominations, with both set to contest in over 170 segments each out of the total 234 at stake.
While the AIADMK is eyeing a record third straight term, the DMK is keen to dethrone its traditional rival and stage a comeback to the ruling saddle after a gap of a decade. Keen to ensure a majority on their own in the April 6 single phase elections, the AIADMK will fight from 178 constituencies directly and the DMK from 174.
Filing of nominations will start on Friday and the last day is March 19. (With PTI)
The health condition of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, under treatment after suffering an injury in Nandigram has “improved slightly”, doctors said. Reports of the tests conducted on the 66-year-old Trinamool Congress supremo were satisfactory and she is responding to treatment. "But the X-Ray done on her left leg showed a degenerative joint disease. We are treating that," a senior doctor at the state-run SSKM Hospital said. Degenerative joint disease is a type of arthritis that occurs when flexible tissue at the ends of bones wears down. (With PTI)
Four days after BJP minister Sum Ronghang joined the Congress after denied ticket, the opposition party on Thursday nominated him to contest the forthcoming Assam Assembly polls from his Diphu constituency.
All India Congress Committee General Secretary Mukul Wasnik issued the fourth list for Assam containing two names, including Ronghang for the Diphu seat in Karbi Anglong district.
The other candidate is Raton Engti for the Bokajan constituency in the same district.
Unhappy over denial of ticket, Ronghang, holding the portfolios of Hill Areas Development and Mines and Minerals, on Sunday joined the opposition Congress. (PTI)
The Left Front (LF) on Thursday came out with a "draft manifesto" for the West Bengal assembly elections, asserting that it will ensure safety and security of all minorities and frame policies for the state's industrial development, if voted to power.
The CPI(M)-led front, which has formed an alliance with the Congress and newly-floated ISF, also said that it would work towards re-establishing democracy in the state and not implement "repressive laws" brought into force by the BJP, such as the ones on cow slaughter and 'love jihad'.
The draft has been forwarded to alliance partners Congress and Abbas Siddique-led ISF, the front stated, maintaining that their views and opinions, too, will find a place in the final manifesto.
Claiming that both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) are playing the communal card to polarise the state's populace, the front said that it would strictly abide by the principles of the Constitution, and ensure equal rights for all religions. (PTI)
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday set aside the rejection of candidature of the Trinamool Congress nominee for the Joypur constituency, and directed the returning officer concerned to allow the candidate to take part in the election.
Joypur goes to polls on March 27 in the first of the eight-phase West Bengal assembly election.
The court directed the returning officer to permit petitioner Ujjwal Kumar to participate in the elections by treating his application of nomination for candidature and connected affidavit filed by him as valid and in accordance with the law.
Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya ordered that the rejection of Kumar's candidature, "being contrary to law, is set aside". (PTI)
Responding to the letter sent by Trinamool Congress over the Nandigram incident in which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was injured yesterday, the Election Commission of India said it was unfortunate that the letter was "full of insinuations and averments", news agency ANI reported.
Banerjee had claimed she was attacked by a group of “four or five people” outside a temple in Nandigram, hours after she filed her nomination papers from the constituency for the upcoming Assembly elections. Sources said the Election Commission has sought a report from West Bengal Chief Secretary Allapan Bandyopadhyay, its general observer Ajay Naik and special police observer Vivek Dubey on the incident by 5 pm Friday.
The poll body further said, "It is indeed an unfortunate incident and needs to be inquired into with promptitude and dispatch."
"Completely incorrect to suggest that Commission has taken over law and order machinery in the state in the name of conducting elections and appropriated whole governance structure," it added.
A section of ruling AIADMK and DMK workers on Thursday protested against allocation of constituencies from their home turf to allies for the April 6 assembly elections and wanted them to be set apart for partymen.
AIADMK workers protested against giving away the Egmore segment here to ally Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, while DMK cadres raised slogans against parting with the Ponneri constituency to Congress.
The ruling party men also protested against allocation of Poonamalle and Gummidipoondi constituencies to ally PMK.
Upset over omission of Labour Minister Nilofer Kafeel's name in the AIADMK list so far, her supporters in Vaniyambadi said the ruling party should not expect the votes of people from the region.
Similarly, in Sivaganga, Khadi Minister G Baskaran's supporters protested against him being not nominated. AIADMK workers staged protest in other places as well including Srivilliputhur, Cheyyur and Chengelpet against the official nominees and wanted them to be replaced. (PTI)
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Thursday demanded a probe into the alleged attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during electioneering in Nandigram and hoped that people would elect her their CM once again.
Accusing the BJP of hatching pre-poll conspiracies against the Trinamool Congress and Banerjee, Yadav asserted that people in West Bengal know Mamata Banerjee has been the sole popular chief minister of the state.
"The BJP may hatch as many conspiracies as they want" how many more such incidents might take place," Yadav said while talking to reporters at the residence of his party MP Shafiqur Rahman Burq here.
"I hope the people of Bengal will once again elect Mamata Banerjee. The people know if there is any popular chief minister, it is Mamata Banerjee," said Yadav.
Replying to a radiogram incident, "It should be investigated. The people who attacked or those at whose behest this incident took place should be exposed." (PTI)
DMK’s ally Congress has released the list of constituencies they will be contesting in the upcoming assembly election in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President KS Alagiri on Thursday presented the list to the reporters gathered in front of the DMK headquarters in Chennai.
The 25 constituencies in which Congress will contest are Ponneri (R), Sripermbuthur (R), Sholinghur, Uthangarai, Omalur, Uthagamandalam, Coimbatore (South), Karaikudi, Melur, Sivakasi, Srivaikuntam, Colachel, Vilavancode, Killiyur, Erode (E), Tenkasi, Aranthangi, Virudhachalam, Nanguneri, Kallakurichi (R), Srivilliputhur (R), Tiruvadanai, Udumalaipet, Mayiladuthurai and Velachery.
Of these constituencies, the national parties Congress and BJP will face off each other in Colachel, Vilavancode, Coimbatore (South), Udhagamandalam and Karaikudi. In Sholinghur, Virudhachalam and Mayiladuthurai, Congress will take on PMK. Constituencies like Sriperumbuthur which is traditionally allocated to Congress has been done this time as well. The national party has been keen on contesting in this constituency which has the memorial of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who was assassinated here in 1991.
Apart from the state assembly constituencies, both Congress and BJP will take on each other in the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha by-election. The seat fell vacant following the demise of Congress MP H Vasanthakumar.
“DMK and Tamil Nadu Congress have reached an agreement on the list of constituencies. Whatever we expected, wished, has happened. We are very happy and satisfied with the agreement. We thank the secular-front leader MK Stalin. The alliance is formed not just for a change in governance, it is formed to safeguard public and to uphold social justice. We have the support of public, we will emerge victorious,” TNCC President KS Alagiri said.
(Report by Janardhan Koushik)
Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam top leader and AIADMK rival, TTV Dhinakaran would contest from Kovilpatti segment in southern Tamil Nadu and take on Information Minister, Kadambur C Raju.
In the AMMK's second list of 50 candidates released on Thursday, the late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa's confidante V K Sasikala's nephew Dhinakaran's name figures on the top.
In Kovilpatti, the AIADMK has fielded Raju who won the seat in 2011 and 2016 polls and it is considered a ruling party stronghold for at least two decades.
Dhinakaran, known as 'TTV' secured a landslide victory in the 2017 bypoll to Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency here following the death of Jayalalithaa in 2016 who had represented that city segment. In RK Nagar, Dhinakaran's victory pushed the AIADMK to the second spot and DMK nomine lost his deposit. (PTI)
The BJP in Tamil Nadu looks like a two per cent party. Whenever it contests alone in the assembly polls, it never seems to overcome this simple hurdle and mostly end up with 2 to 3 per cent of the popular vote.
It does not contest alone on its own volition. Whenever there are assembly polls round the corner, Dravidian parties seem to suddenly unfriend the BJP and leave them to their own fate.
Even now, left to itself AIADMK might not have allied with the BJP. But the fact that AIADMK needs support from the centre, leaves them with no other option. Hence, BJP has been allotted 20 seats in the AIADMK alliance, and is looking to send quite a few members to the assembly. Read this report by Venkatesh Kannaiah
A delegation of Trinamool Congress leaders will meet the Election Commission in New Delhi on Friday over the alleged attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, news agency PTI reported. At least six party MPs are likely to join the meeting.
AIADMK MLA M S R Rajavarman on Thursday switched over to the rival Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam camp, a day after the ruling party did not re-nominate him from his Sattur constituency in southern Tamil Nadu.
The AIADMK immediately expelled him from the party for anti-party activities, the party said in a statement.
Rajavaraman, who represented Sattur in Assembly, said he and other office-bearers from his region have joined the AMMK. He accused the ruling party of not giving opportunity to those who slogged for the party.
After the Assembly election results in May, he claimed that AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran would "determine who would form the government." (PTI)
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday visited a temple of Lord Shiva in Nandigram and offered puja on the occasion of Mahashivratri.
Adhikari visited the Sonachura Trilokeshwar Temple in the area amid a large number of devotees who gathered there to offer puja on the auspicious day.
A large number of BJP supporters were also present as Adhikari, the party's candidate from Nandigram, offered puja at the temple.
As a microphone was handed to him, he chanted 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Bhole Baba Par Karega' amid loud cheers from his supporters. However, he refrained from making any political comments.
In an interesting twist ahead of the Assembly elections in Kerala, a local committee of the CPI(M) ‘expelled’ a member who has been nominated as a candidate by the Kerala Congress (M) in the Piravom Assembly constituency. The KC(M) is a constituent of the CPM-led LDF.
A day after Dr Sindhumol Jacob, a homoeopathy doctor by profession, was fielded by the KC(M) in Piravom, the Uzhavoor local committee of the CPM released a statement announcing her expulsion from the party for “anti-party activities”. She was a member of the Uzhavoor North branch committee of the party.
The purported grouse of the local committee was that Dr Jacob didn’t inform the local leadership of her plan to contest from Piravom on a KC(M) ticket. Read this report by Vishnu Varma
The CPI(M), which has fielded young candidates from its student and youth wings, is pinning hopes on budding leaders to take on the BJP and the TMC in the 2021 assembly elections in West Bengal.
JNU student leader Aishe Ghosh, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) state president Minakshi Mukherjee, Students' Federation of India's (SFI) national joint secretary Dipsita Dhar, SFI state president Pratikur Rahaman, DYFI state secretary Sayandeep Mitra's are among those whose names feature in the list declared by Left Front chairperson Biman Bose here on Wednesday.
Jawaharlal Nehru University Student's Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh who gained prominence after receiving injury during the protests against fee hike in 2020, has been fielded by the CPI(M) from Jamuria constituency in Paschim Bardhaman district.
Ghosh has her task cut out to win from Jamuria, where the CPI(M) had tasted success in the 2016 assembly polls. (PTI)
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday expressed concern over the health condition of his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kolkata following an alleged attack on her.
"Concerned to know about the hospitalisation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Wishing her speedy recovery and praying for good health," Patnaik said on Twitter.
Banerjee sustained injuries on her left leg and waist as she fell on the ground after she was allegedly pushed by unknown miscreants while campaigning for West Bengal assembly elections in Nandigram on Wednesday. (PTI)
In a video message from the hospital, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says she will be back for the poll campaign in few days and use a wheelchair if needed.
"I sustained injuries in hand, leg and ligament. I was standing near the car when I was pushed against it yesterday. I am on medication and will soon leave from Kolkata," she said.
"I request everybody to maintain peace and refrain from doing anything that can cause inconvenience to anybody. I will resume work in the next 2-3 days," she added.
TMC leaders Nusrat Jahan Ruhi, Mimi Chakraborty and Madan Mitra visited SSKM hospital in Kolkata where Mamata Banerjee is admitted. (ANI)
Lodging a complaint with the Election Commission regarding the alleged attack against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, TMC leader Partha Chatterjee Thursday said the poll body has to take responsibility for the attack on Banerjee, PTI reported.
"They are acting as per orders of BJP," Chatterjee accused.
"Who will take responsibility for the attack on Mamata Banerjee, when EC is in charge of administration," he further said.
Chatterjee said after Banerjee became a candidate in Nandigram, the state DGP was removed.
TMC leader Derek O'Brien said the law and order become the responsibility of EC after the elections are announced.
Ahead of the upcoming election in Assam, Congress fielded Raton Engti from Bokajan (ST) and Sum Ronghang from Diphu (ST) Assembly seats. (ANI)
A BJP delegation, comprising party leaders Sabyasachi Dutta and Shishir Bajoria, met with Election Commission officials in Kolkata to discuss the alleged 'attack' on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "We're shocked to see CM was injured while in Nandigram wherein she has alleged that she was pushed by some people. We request that a detailed enquiry is ordered," their memorandum read. (ANI)
Complying with the Election Commission’s orders, the Health Ministry will mask pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on vaccine certificates in poll-bound states. Earlier this month the EC had asked the Union Government to stop using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture on Covid-19 vaccination certificates in states headed to Assembly elections, following a complaint by the Trinamool Congress.
"If there is a conspiracy, call CBI, NIA, CID or form an SIT. Why don't you (Mamata Banerjee) do it? Making an excuse of conspiracy, you want to get public sympathy. Where were the police, CCTV? Take out CCTV footage and the truth will come out": Cong MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Mamata Banerjee's alleged attack in Nandigram.
Trinamool Congress activists took out rallies across West Bengal on Thursday, protesting against an alleged attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Purba Medinipur's Nandigram.
Protests were held in different parts of Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah, Birbhum, South 24 Parganas, Jalpaiguri districts, and Trinamool Congress supporters briefly blocked roads in some areas. They shouted slogans against the BJP, accusing it of conspiring against Banerjee.
The ruling party activists took to the streets and burnt tyres to protest against her political conspirators in Nadigram's Birulia Bazar area where Banerjee sustained injuries on her left leg and waist as she fell on the ground after she was allegedly pushed by unknown miscreants while campaigning for assembly elections on Wednesday.
A scuffle broke out between the Trinamool Congress activists and a group of BJP workers in the Birulia area this morning but the situation was soon brought under control, police said. (PTI)
A case was registered on Thursday over the attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, following a complaint lodged by TMC leader Sheikh Sufian, police said. The case was lodged under IPC sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), a senior police officer of the Purba Medinipur district said. "We have received a complaint from Mr Sufiyan. Our investigation is already underway and we are collecting evidence," the officer said.
In the morning, District Magistrate Vibhu Goel, Superintendent of Police Praween Prakash and other officers visited the Birulia Bazar area where the incident happened. The officers spoke to eye-witnesses, besides looking for any CCTV installed in the area to ascertain the exact sequence of events.
The chief minister is at present undergoing treatment at the SSKM Hospital in Kolkata with injury to her left leg, waist, shoulder and neck, according to doctors. (PTI)
"They (TMC) are politicizing the issue. However, we believe such incidents should not be politicized. I hope Election Commission will send enough central forces to West Bengal to control the political violence," BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya said when asked about the alleged attack on Mamata Banerjee. (ANI)
"We wanted to meet her (Mamata Banerjee) but couldn't because that was not medically advised. We met Aroop Vishwas ji and asked him to convey best wishes to her," said BJP leader Tathagata Roy outside SSKM hospital in Kolkata. (ANI)
Sharing an image of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a hospital bed with her leg in a cast after she was allegedly attacked in Nandigram, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee warned BJP to brace itself for the upcoming Assembly polls.
In Kerala, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer, alleging that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan violated Model Code of Conduct by announcing new programs and policies during press meets on March 4 and March 6.
The sitting BJP MLA of Hojai constituency in Assam, Shiladitya Dev, infamous for his repeated provocative comments against minorities, was Wednesday denied a ticket by the party and replaced by Ramkrishna Ghosh.
Following the development, Dev (52), who claims to have been associated with the BJP and the RSS for the last 30 years, said he would soon be resigning from the party. On his Facebook page, he posted soon after the list was out, “Finally, I have been kicked out of BJP.”
“I have been sidelined for speaking on Hindutva’s behalf. They have politically murdered me for being aggressive for Hindutva. The BJP of Atal ji and Advani ji is no longer there. It’s a commercial party now,” Dev told reporters. Read the report here.
Referred to as ‘Bobby da’ by his inner circle, Firhad Hakim is among the most prominent faces in the Trinamool Congress and also one of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s most reliable lieutenants. He was elected councilor in Kolkata Municipal Corporation in the late ‘90s, but got his real break in 2009, when he was elected MLA from Alipore constituency in the bypolls that year.
Two years later, as Mamata Banerjee came to power, he won as MLA from Port constituency and was soon appointed the state’s Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister. In the last 10 years, while many ministers had their departments changed, Hakim has held the same Cabinet portfolio. After TMC leader Sovan Chatterjee resigned as Kolkata Mayor following allegations of negligence in 2018, Hakim became the first Muslim since Independence to be elected to the post.
Since Mukul Roy’s departure from the TMC in 2019, Hakim has become one of the most dependable lieutenants of CM Banerjee. A large section of party cadres, especially from districts such as Birbhum and Murshidabad, depend on ‘Bobby da’ to register their complaints and suggestions with Didi. Read the full report here.
Preliminary medical tests conducted on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee late on Wednesday night detected severe bone injuries in her left ankle and foot, and injuries in right shoulder, forearm and neck, a senior doctor of the state-run SSKM hospital said.
Doctors at the hospital decided to closely monitor Banerjee, who has been complaining of chest pain and breathlessness since the alleged attack at Nandigram in Purba Medinipore district earlier in the evening, for the next 48 hours, he said. The Trinamool Congress chief has slight fever and has been shifted to aspecial ward at the hospital's VVIP Woodburn Block soon after the MRI at the Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, he added.
"We will keep her under observation for the next 48 hours. There will be more tests needed to be done, and after evaluating her condition we will decide on our next course of treatment," a doctor, part of the team treating Banerjee, told PTI. Doctors conducted x-ray on the chief minister as soon as she was taken there from Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district on Wednesday night.
She is undergoing treatment at the 12.5 special cabin of Woodburn Block of the SSKM hospital. The state government has constituted a team of five senior doctors to treat Banerjee. The team consists of one cardiologist, an endocrinologist, a general surgery doctor, an orthopedist and a medicine doctor. (PTI)
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