News Analysis India

Tag: Bengal elections

  • Bengal drugs haul: A few ‘very influential people’ involved, says police

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Kolkata Police have zeroed in on a few “very influential people” who were probably involved in the drug seizure case in which two BJP leaders, Rakesh Singh and Pamela Goswami, have been arrested, an officer said on Saturday.

    The sleuths of the Kolkata Police’s narcotics section are also searching for a close associate of Singh, a member of the BJPs state committee, whom Goswami has accused of putting cocaine in her car, he said.

    Goswami, the state secretary of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and two others were arrested after the seizure of 90 gm of cocaine from her car in south Kolkatas New Alipore area on February 19.

    “We have come across the names of a few very influential people who are probably involved in this case. They are known to both Singh and Goswami. We are also looking for one person in particular who has been very active in smuggling,” he said.

    The police got evidence of this person visiting Singhs Orphangunge Road residence in Kolkata’s port area, he said.

    So far, over 20 people — 12 from Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand and around 11 from West Bengal — have been questioned in connection with the investigation, the police officer said.

    In the last few days, police teams visited these three states.

    The officer said that a few voice messages stored in Goswamis mobile phone may also help the police in the probe into the matter.

    The police seized her mobile phone after her arrest.

    Singh was arrested from Galsi in Purba Bardhaman district on February 23 when he was allegedly trying to flee.

  • Trinamool forms 12-member committee for campaign strategy, candidates selection

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress on Friday announced a 12-member election committee that will look into the selection of candidates and plan a campaign for the upcoming assembly polls.

    The panel will be headed by West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, party’s secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said after its core committee meeting.

    Senior party leaders, MPs and MLAs are other members of the committee, he said.

    Subrata Bakshi, Abhishek Banerjee, Sudip Banerjee, Derek O Brien, Sougata Roy and C M Jatua are members of the election panel.

    Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Partha Chatterjee Chandrima Bhattacharya and Aroop Biswas are also part of the team.

    According to party sources, the TMC leaders had extensively discussed the issues related to the selection of candidates and planned for the campaign.

    “Selection of the candidates will be an important thing this time and inputs from election strategist Prashant Kishor and his team I-PAC will play an important role in it,” a party leader said.

    Elections for the West Bengal assembly will be held in eight phases, up from seven last time, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said while announcing the poll schedule.

  • Eight-phase Bengal polls: Three ex-CECs back election body amid Opposition outcry

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: As the EC’s decision to hold assembly elections in West Bengal in eight phases triggered sharp criticism from the state chief minister and others, two former chief election commissioners on Friday justified the move, saying that the decision must have been based on a law and order situation assessment while another CEC advocated single-phase election given that rumours fly thick and fast in this age of social media.

    Referring to seven-phase voting in West Bengal during 2016 assembly polls, former CECs –O P Rawat and N Gopalaswami– noted that whenever the EC feels there is enhanced security requirements based on ground realities, it takes these precautions.

    Though he noted that the EC’s decision must be based on its assessment of the law and order situation and availability of security forces, S Y Quraishi, who was the CEC from July 30, 2010 to June 10, 2012, said in the age of social media wherein all kinds of rumours fly thick and fast during elections, there should be an attempt to reduce the duration and number of phases.

    “Ideally, it should be a single-phase election,” he added.

    The Election Commission on Friday announced the poll schedule for five assemblies –Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry– with West Bengal to have the maximum eight phases from March 27.

    Immediately after the announcement, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the EC decision and said she suspects that the dates were announced as per the suggestions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for better management of the BJP’s poll campaign.

    Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar also attacked the EC, alleging that the poll panel has tried to help the BJP.

    “I believe it has been done deliberately and in a way, the EC has tried to help the BJP. They (BJP) feel that it will help them, but it will not as far as I know about the people of Bengal. They are revolutionary in nature. They may deviate for some time but ultimately, Bengal is Bengal,” Anwar said.

    Justifying the poll panel’s decision, Rawat said,”the EC in its own wisdom might have felt this time it is more contentious and so more security measures required. Accordingly, it has decided to hold the elections in eight phases.”

    Rawat, who joined the poll panel in 2015 and retired as the CEC in December 2018, said, “whenever the Commission feels there is requirement of more security so that nobody faces any problem, it takes those precautions.

    Asserting that it was for the EC, based on ground realities, to assess, Gopalaswami, who headed the poll panel from 30 June 2006 to 20 April 2009, said look at the number of polling stations (in West Bengal) which have been increased due to Covid (distancing norms), one will get the answer.

    “You need forces. West Bengal is much bigger in size and needs a higher number of central forces. The total number of polling stations in West Bengal is 1,01,916 instead of 77,413 in 2016 polls — an increase of 31.65 per cent. Due to COVID norms, the number of voters per polling station has been restricted to 1000 from 1500,” he added.

    Quraishi said the commission’s decision to hold the election in eight phases spread over a month must be based on its assessment of the law and order situation and availability of security forces.

    “Bengal has the tradition of multi-phase elections,” he said, adding that there is not much difference between seven and eight phases.

    Quraishi, however, advocated holding elections in a single phase.

    “In the age of social media wherein all kinds of rumours fly thick and fast, there will be an attempt to reduce the duration of elections and number of phases. With more paramilitary forces being available , one hope as soon as possible the number of phases will be reduced. Ideally, it should be a single-phase election,” he said.

    The EC said the assembly polls in 294 constituencies in West Bengal will be held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29.

    The counting of votes will take place on May 2, along with that of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

    Polling in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry will be held in one phase on April 6, while Assam will go to polls in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6.

    Reacting to the EC’s decision, Banerjee said, “with all due respect to the Commission, I want to say that questions are being raised on why elections will be held in so many phases in Bengal while other states will be voting in one phase. If EC doesn’t provide justice to the people, where will the people go.”

    “I have information from my sources that the poll dates are similar to the ones BJP wanted. Have the dates been announced as per the suggestions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah? The PM and the home minister cannot misuse their power for the state elections,” she claimed.

  • Eight-phase Bengal polls keeping in mind festivals, deployment of forces: Officials

    Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said when the EC assesses the law-and-order situation, it is based on several factors.

  • Bengal polls: Abbas Siddiqui’s ISF seals seat-sharing deal with Left, talks on with Congress

    By PTI
    FURFURA SHARIF: The Indian Secular Front (ISF), led by Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui of Furfura Sharif, said on Friday that it has sealed a seat-sharing agreement with the Left Front for the West Bengal assembly elections, while talks with the Congress are underway.

    Addressing a press conference, Siddiqui said the Left Front has agreed to leave for it 30 seats as part of the Left-Congress-ISF alliance.

    “We have already sealed our alliance with the Left Front. We have got 30 seats as per our choice and are in talks regarding three-four more,” he said.

    “The discussions are still on with the Congress as the seat-sharing deal is still not clear. In total, from both the parties, we had demanded around 70 seats, including the Nandigram seat,” Siddiqui said.

    Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be the Trinamool Congress candidate from Nandigram.

    Siddiqui said that ISF does not have any intention to derail the alliance with Congress.

    “We don’t want to derail this alliance, but we have our demands. We are accommodative and flexible. We want the alliance with the Congress to get concluded as early as possible,” he said.

    Siddiqui, who ditched AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for the alliance with Left-Congress, also announced that the ISF would take part in the mega rally at Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata on February 28, being organised by the Left-Congress.

    According to Congress sources, the ISF has demanded a few seats in Malda and Murshidabad that the Congress won in the 2016 assembly polls.

    “The ISF is demanding some of the seats that we had won last time. It is tough for a political party to part with seats it had won in the last election. Let’s see what happens,” a Congress leader said.

    Siddiqui joining the Left-Congress alliance has given it an edge in the West Bengal polls, which is being seen mostly as a bipolar contest between the Trinamool Congress and BJP.

    Siddiqui, a pirzada at one of the holiest shrines among Bengali Muslims, launched the ISF last month.

    He created a flutter by meeting Owaisi ahead of the elections but ditched him for the Left-Congress.

    West Bengal has 30 per cent Muslim population — a deciding factor in around 100-110 seats.

    “The inclusion of the ISF in the alliance has provided an added edge to the third force in Bengal ahead of the polls. We are confident that it would no longer be a two-cornered contest,” senior CPI(M) leader Tanmoy Bhattacharya said.

    In case of a close contest, the Left-Congress-ISF alliance will become a deciding factor.

    In 2016, the Congress and Left Front had fought together and bagged 77 seats in the 294-member assembly.

    The alliance broke after the CPI(M)-led Left Front walked away.

    During the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the proposed Congress-Left alliance fell apart after the parties could not agree on seat sharing.

    After the dismal performance of the two sides in the Lok Sabha polls, the Left-Congress decided to stitch an alliance to fight the 2021 assembly polls.

    The seat-sharing negotiations between the Left and the Congress have been finalised and details will be announced once the ISF-Congress talks conclude, sources said.

    Elections for the West Bengal assembly will be held in eight phases, up from seven last time, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27.

  • Will approach polls with agenda of development and form governments: BJP on polls

    Voting for the Assembly polls in four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry will begin on March 27, with West Bengal to witness the maximum of eight phases of polling.

  • ‘Are poll dates announced as per suggestions of Modi, Shah?’: Mamata questions eight-phase elections

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Many Opposition parties including the Trinamool Congress Friday questioned the need for a eight-phase election in West Bengal even as BJP leaders welcomed the Election Commission’s decision and said anti-social elements need to be controlled for peaceful polls.

    The EC announced that voting for five assembly elections will begin on March 27 and continue till April 29, while counting of votes will be done on May 2.

    Elections in West Bengal will be held on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29 while Assam will have three-phase polls on March 27, April 1 and April 6.

    Polling for Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry assembly elections will take place in a single phase on April 6.

    Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said while announcing the poll schedule said that this time West Bengal will have one more phase compared to seven in 2016.

    Expressing her displeasure, TMC boss and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “With all due respect to the Election Commission, I want to say that questions are being raised on why elections will be held in so many phases in Bengal while other states will be voting in one phase.

    If EC doesn’t provide justice to the people, where will the people go.”

    She, however, said despite “all these tricks”, she will win the elections.

    “I have information from my sources that the poll dates are similar to the ones BJP wanted.

    Have the dates been announced as per the suggestions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah?” she asked at a press conference in Kolkata.

    BJP national secretary Kailash Vijayvarghia, however, welcomed the eight- phase elections in West Bengal and said that it was imperative to conduct fair polls.

    “Along with the announcement of elections, anti-social elements will also have to be controlled for peaceful elections in West Bengal.

    Also, fair officers should also be appointed in every district of the state so that there is no disturbance in the election,” he said in a tweet.

    CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya seemed unable to fathom the “numbers game”.

    “Five-day test match in Chennai becomes a two-day affair in Ahmedabad. One-day election in Tamil Nadu gets stretched over eight phases in West Bengal. Can any of you explain this numbers game?” he asked in a tweet.

    Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan wondered if there were any “nefarious plans”.

    “If voting for Kerala-140, Tamil Nadu-234 and Puducherry-30 (total 404 seats) can be conducted in a single phase, why Assam-126 and West Bengal-294 (total 420 seats) require 7 & 8 phases? Are there any nefarious plans?” he asked.

    BJP MP from Bengal Babul Supriyo welcomed the EC move and said that it was time for change in the state.

    “8 phase election in Bengal. I want change, I want BJP in Bengal,” he said in a tweet.

    Senior Assam minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the election in his which goes to polls in three phases starting March 27.

    “Assam Assembly Polls are announced and we seek your blessing to form government again. We’re grateful for your faith & cooperation in last 5 years during which Assam witnessed stupendous growth. We promise to continue the same under the leadership of Hon PM Sri @narendramodi,” Sarma tweeted.

  • Political violence has reached ‘new high’ under Mamata government: Rajnath Singh

    By PTI
    BALURGHAT: Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Friday said political violence has reached a “new high” under the TMC dispensation while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee looks the other way.

    Speaking at a public meeting here in Dakshin Dinajpur district, Singh said, people do not want a government which cannot ensure their security.

    “If the BJP is elected to power in the state polls, political violence will come to an end.”

    “The Trinamool Congress (TMC) had come to power with ‘Maa Mati Manush’ slogan. But what happened later? The slogan has been trampled for all practical purpose.”

    “Political violence has gone up to a new high. Law and order has completely broken down. Shouldn’t the CM look into this?”, Singh, who was known to have cordial relations with Banerjee, said.

    In English, the “Ma, Mati Manush” means “Mother, Motherland and People”.

    It became very popular in the state during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and 2011 assembly polls.

    Alleging that over 150 people had died and thousands injured in the state in political violence “orchestrated by the TMC”, Singh said, “We do not want such a government which cannot ensure safety of its citizens.”

    Singh claimed that law and order situation has “vastly improved” in Tripura after the BJP came to power dislodging CPI(M).

    Noting that the TMC has “politicised the atmosphere in such a way that it is harming people of Bengal,” Singh said, “as a result many central projects for poor, backwards, tribals are yet to be implemented in the state.

    “Farmers here are not getting the benefit of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme which they will certainly get after the BJP comes to power here. They will have Rs 6,000 in their individual accounts.”

    “We will see to it that people of the state get the benefits of Ayushman Bharat Yojana once we are elected. They will get medical insurance upto Rs 5 lakh.” Singh highlighted that the saffron party “Is not in politics only to grab power.

    It is into politics to work to increase respect for the country.

    Claiming that “a new cut money, extortion culture is now flourishing here which will be wiped out by our party”, the BJP leader alleged that bomb making units have mushroomed all over West Bengal but the TMC is indifferent to it.

    Claiming that BJP believes in giving equal respect to every religion, Singh asked, “But what is Didi’s (Mamata Banerjee) government doing? At times we hear Saraswati Puja is not allowed here and at times the administration disallows Durga puja immersion.

    Is it right?” Blaming the state for dithering in providing land for fencing along border with Bangladesh for years, he said, “Once we come to power, fencing work will be over in a stipulated time which will put a lid on incidents of smuggling, human trafficking and other illegal activities.”

    “The soil of Bengal had given birth to luminaries like Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda. The BJP will once again bring back the glory of Bengal,” he said.

    Alluding to the campaign song “Khela Habe”, meaning ‘game on’, by the Trinamool Congress, Singh said in Bengali, “certainly there will be ‘khela’. But it will be the ‘khela’ (game) for growth, for development and progress.”

    “We believe in the ‘khela’ for peace.”

    Paying tribute to security forces, Singh, who is also the defence minister said, “Our jawans display valour gallantly guarding borders”.

    Referring to Balakot Air Strike, he said, “It was successfully done on this day in 2019 to show that we never compromise on issues of national security. We will never compromise with the security of the nation.”

  • Rakesh Singh conspired to trap me in drugs case: BJP leader Pamela Goswami

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: BJP youth wing leader Pamela Goswami, who was arrested by the police for allegedly possessing cocaine, Thursday claimed that party leader Rakesh Singh had conspired to trap her.

    Goswami, who was being taken to the court in connection with the drug seizure case, told reporters that Singh was instrumental in keeping the contraband in her car which was subsequently seized by police.

    Singh, a BJP state committee member, was arrested by the police on Tuesday for his alleged involvement in the drug seizure case.

    He was apprehended from near Palsit in Purba Barddhaman district when he was fleeing through Durgapur Expressway in a car and was brought back to the city.

    Goswami, who was arrested along with a friend on February 19 for allegedly posessing cocaine, alleged that Singh had designs on her and she was avoiding him.

    She claimed that Singh had tried to physically assault her on many days.

    “He even threatened me of dire consequences when I went to the police station to lodge a complaint”.

    Goswami was quick to add that she had no complaints against any other BJP leader but only Singh.

    “Police is carrying out the investigation in the right direction and I have full faith in the legal system”, she said.

    The court remanded her to police custody till March 4.

    Meanwhile, the narcotics cell of Kolkata Police conducted searches in an under-construction house near Singh’s residence at Alipur.

  • Bengal needs vaccine against cutmoney, ‘tolabaji’; BJP will arrange for it: Nadda

    The TMC government represents corruption and anarchy, he alleged at a party rally here in North 24 Parganas district.