Category Archives: West Bengal

Politics, Regional, West Bengal

BJP’s attempt to govern the Opposition led to their downfall: Pol analyst

Leave a comment
 While the debate is still on about what caused the Trinamul Congress increase its tally of seats from the 2019 tally and why the Bharatiya Janata Party lose its share of seats

Ashok Chatterjee | SNS  |  Kolkata | June 6, 2024 : hile the debate is still on about what caused the Trinamul Congress increase its tally of seats from the 2019 tally and why the Bharatiya Janata Party lose its share of seats, Prof Asis Mistry, Calcutta University says there are that first-time voters have played a role, both in national and state level to defeat the BJP and the Trinamul Congress successfully managed to hold on to its women voters with the hike in Lakshmir Bhandar money.


Pointing out another important observation about the saffron party, Prof Mistry said, “In 2014, nationally BJP’s vote share was 31 per cent but they won with majority because they managed to ‘play’ with the Opposition. In 2019, they ‘managed’ the Opposition. This time, they wanted to ‘govern’ (or mal-govern) the opposition. Examples are, sending opposition CMs to jail and defending their own party leaders despite their glaring offences. This is called post-democratic syndrome. This was first coined in Britain by Colin Crouch. He said this is an evolving trend and it has now been seen in India. Institutions are being moulded. Within democracy, an undercurrent of authoritarian tendency could be seen. This is called ‘governing the Opposition’.”

Around 22 lakh first-time voters were added in the voters list in 2024. This section has not voted for the BJP, feels the political science professor.

He explains that there was 6 per cent addition of first-time voters (18-25 years). Their performance in the seats with less margin of victory played a major role. “The young voters were a lot influenced by YouTube influencers. This played a role in swinging votes against the BJP.”

Explaining further, the professor said that nationally, in the 2019 polls, there were 97 seats, where the margin of victory was less than 5 per cent. BJP won 41 of these seats. This time, of these seats, the BJP retained only seven. Taking a sample of 22 seats out of those 97 seats, the professor found that not only the BJP lost these seats, it lost by a good margin. And, he feels the young voters played a role in these seats.

“In the 2021 election, TMC’s vote share was 48.02 per cent. In this LS election TMC pooled 45.76 per cent votes share. So, we see TMC’S vote share has come down. In 2019 TMC’s vote share was 43.7 per cent, which means vote share rise for TMC is only 2.06 per cent. Whereas the Left and Congress combined vote share has been reduced by 1.4 per cent, while we were expecting Left vote share to go up this time. BJP’s vote share has remained more or less intact. They lost only 1.87 per cent,” said Prof Mistry.
Politics, West Bengal

Strategic moves, welfare schemes and minority consolidation help TMC seal huge win

Leave a comment

PTI, Kolkata, Jun 5, 2024 :  The TMC’s victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal was facilitated by strategic manoeuvring, welfare schemes, consolidation of minority support and division of votes.

    
The result solidified the party’s hold over the state ahead of the assembly polls to be held two years later.

Three years after halting the BJP’s advancement in the state in the assembly election, the TMC coasted to another memorable victory in parliamentary elections, defying exit-poll predictions, securing triumph in 29 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal.

Despite facing numerous challenges including internal conflicts and scandals such as the school jobs scam and the Sandeshkhali issue which threatened the party’s image, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured a striking victory.

Apart from strategic manoeuvring and minority consolidation, the TMC leaders attributed a critical factor in its success to welfare schemes targeting women like ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ and ‘Kanyashree’, pivotal in securing support from female voters, which compromise 50 per cent of the state electorate, and mitigating the repercussions of corruption allegations while bolstering grassroots backing.

“The people of Bengal restored faith in the developmental politics of the state government. The schemes aimed at the women of the state yielded positive results for us,” TMC MP Sougata Roy, who got elected for the fourth term, told PTI.

Out of the 29 newly TMC MPs, 11 are women which make up 38 per cent of the total party representatives in Lok Sabha.

According to a TMC leader, with the BJP’s tally going down both at the state and its government at the Centre likely to be dependent on allies, “the TMC will further solidify its stronghold over Bengal ahead of the assembly polls in 2026.

A significant aspect of the TMC’s success was its strategic electoral manoeuvring. The breakdown of seat-sharing talks between the TMC and the Congress in January worked to the TMC’s advantage, setting the stage for a three-cornered contest.

This fragmentation of opposition votes allowed the TMC to consolidate nearly 30 per cent of the minority and anti-BJP votes, which proved decisive in many constituencies.

According to TMC leader Santanu Sen, the breakdown of the alliance enabled the party to emerge as the strongest alternative to the BJP in the state.

“The Left and the Congress were decimated. But as we emerged as the strongest alternative to the BJP in the state, we won even in seats which were considered BJP strongholds,” Sen said.

This strategic positioning helped the TMC capture votes that might have otherwise gone to the fragmented opposition.

Local issues like the cancellation of school jobs, and the contentious implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), significantly reshaped election dynamics as the BJP’s propagation of corruption allegations failed to resonate with voters, while the CAA, intended as a BJP electoral strategy, unexpectedly prompted minorities previously undecided between the TMC and the Left-Congress alliance to consolidate behind the Trinamool Congress.

“Once the tainted leaders including Partha Chatterjee, Sahajahan Sheikh, Jyotipriyo Mullick were put behind bars, the allegations of corruption subsided and took the winds away from the corruption narrative of the BJP,” political analyst Maidul Islam said.

Mamata Banerjee’s comments against certain sections of the Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha, and the OBC reservation issue, where the Calcutta High Court recently struck down the OBC status of several classes including 77 Muslim communities, helped solidify the TMC’s minority support base.

People belonging to the minority community helped TMC sweep Muslim-majority pockets in the southern region of West Bengal while the division of their votes facilitated BJP’s victories in the northern part of the state, political analysts said.

Several parliamentary seats in both north and south Bengal, such as Raiganj, Cooch Behar, Balurghat, Malda North, Malda South, Murshidabad, Diamond Harbour, Uluberia, Howrah, Birbhum, Kanthi, Tamluk, Mathurapur and Joynagar, have significant Muslim populations.

The BJP retained Balurghat, Raiganj and Malda North, riding on the division of minority votes between the Left-Congress combine and the TMC, an analyst said.

“In south Bengal, the TMC, as expected, performed well in minority belts. But in some seats in north Bengal, the party faced tough competition from the Left-Congress alliance for a bigger pie of the minority votes,” Political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty said.

Although these issues intensified communal polarization, they also helped the TMC reach out to liberal and elite Bengalis who had been drifting towards the Left and Congress.

“These issues also helped the TMC reach the 2-3 per cent Bengali elite and liberals, which just like 2021 in 2024 helped the TMC in the fight against the BJP,” Islam said.

The Trinamool Congress registered a 45.77 per cent vote share in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal, up by more than two per cent from the 43.7 per cent of votes it received in 2019.

The BJP, on the other hand, registered a vote share of 38.73 per cent in the state this time around which, also unlike what the pollsters had predicted, was down by over two per cent compared to the 40.6 per cent votes it received five years ago.
Politics, West Bengal

Mamata to hold meeting with newly elected Trinamool MPs on Saturday

Leave a comment

PTI, Kolkata, Jun 5, 2024 :  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called a meeting of newly elected Lok Sabha MPs of TMC on Saturday, party sources said.

    
The TMC maintained its dominance in the state as Banerjee led her party to a resounding victory by bagging 29 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, whereas the principal opposition BJP was down to 12 and the Congress to one seat.

“The party supremo has convened a meeting of our newly elected MPs on Saturday. During the meeting, the political situation will be discussed,” a TMC leader said.

Banerjee had walked out of the INDIA bloc in West Bengal in January but asserted that the TMC would continue to be part of the opposition alliance at the national level.
Politics, West Bengal

Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamul Sweeps Bengal: Claims 29 Seats Out of 42, Deals Blow to BJP

Leave a comment
Despite its tall claims about ‘uprooting’ the Trinamool Congress from Bengal and getting ’30-plus seats’, the BJP ended a poor second with 12 seats and 39 per cent votes

Devadeep Purohit, TT, 5.06.24 : Trinamool has vanquished the BJP in Bengal cornering around 46 per cent votes and bagging 29 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats, cementing Mamata Banerjee’s position as the country’s most formidable Opposition leader for the second time in three years after the 2021 Assembly polls.

Despite its tall claims about “uprooting” the Trinamool Congress from Bengal and getting “30-plus seats”, the BJP ended a poor second with 12 seats and 39 per cent votes.
As in 2021, Mamata has beaten heavy odds at a time when most pundits and pollsters had written her off following the corruption scandals engulfing her party and the Sandeshkhali charges of atrocities on women.

The chief minister braved age and injury to crisscross the whole of Bengal, addressing 107 rallies and 20-odd road shows, to eventually have the last laugh.

“Bengal was tortured the most…. They inflicted the CBI, ED, income-tax department and even the media,” Mamata said at a news conference at her 30B Harish Chatterjee Street home on Tuesday evening, while listing the challenges she had been up against.

“They used the courts to take away the jobs of 26,000 people. Then the OBC certificates of about 15 lakh people were cancelled.”

She also cited other constraints, from the central agencies’ role to the money power the BJP brought into play against her party.

“They threatened my ministers, my MLAs, my councillors…. They sent money to buy us, but still couldn’t do anything,” she said, with nephew and political heir apparent Abhishek Banerjee, the party’s all-India general secretary, by her side.

This election has witnessed Abhishek’s rise as Trinamool’s principal poll strategist, a task performed by Prashant Kishor in 2021. Abhishek played a key role in picking the candidates and working out the campaign planks.

The Bengal verdict holds significance for both the state and beyond. It means the BJP, which won just 77 seats in the 2021 Assembly elections, will have to make a fresh start for the 2026 battle.

The BJP had fielded its topmost leaders in the Bengal campaign, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself addressing 22 rallies since the polls were announced.

While Modi’s personal appeal didn’t work, the results also flagged the BJP’s organisational weakness in Bengal.

Multiple sources in the BJP said the murmurs of discontent against senior state leaders, heard in the party office on Tuesday afternoon, would only grow louder now with demands for some heads to roll.

“Our organisational weakness, caused by factionalism, is well-known. This drubbing will surely make things more difficult for us as factionalism will intensify in the coming months,” a BJP insider said.

The Bengal outcome is likely to have ripples in Delhi, too. Although Mamata made it clear she “didn’t want anything” — pre-empting questions on whether she wanted to lead the INDIA bloc if the NDA failed to form the government — her growing stature in national politics is beyond doubt. “I will certainly help the INDIA team. I have already spoken to so many people. I invite others to the INDIA team. I will try to see Modi is out. I want to keep the country safe,” she said.

Mamata is unlikely to go to Delhi in a hurry to meet the INDIA partners: she is sending Abhishek to Wednesday’s huddle in the capital. But there is little doubt that the next steps taken by the fledgling alliance would bear a strong Kalighat imprint.

Reason for win

After analysing the state and national poll outcomes through the day with Abhishek, Mamata emerged for the news conference immediately after Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge wrapped up their media interaction in Delhi.

In her trademark style, she was at her humble best, quoting from Tagore in her opening remarks. “I thank the people of Bengal and will forever be indebted to all of you,” she said with bowed head.

She also thanked the voters for not giving any credence to the BJP’s narrative of sexual abuse of women in Sandeshkhali. “They tried to defame Bengal in front of the country on the Sandeshkhali issue…. I thank the people for foiling their plan,” she said.

She cited no specific reasons for the Trinamool sweep. Several analysts said that Lakshmir Bhandar — the Rs 1,000 monthly assistance scheme for general-caste women and Rs 1,200 for SC/ST women — was a big reason for her victory.

That Mamata had the women voters’ support was apparent from the turnout data released by the Election Commission, which showed 81.22 per cent women, against 77.96 per cent men, had voted in the first six phases.

When this correspondent asked Mamata whether she owed the victory to this specific scheme, her reply implied she owed it to all sections of society. “Lakshmi, Saraswati, Rehana, Maria, they all are my friends,” she said, underscoring the inclusive character of her politics.

Mamata’s tireless attempt at projecting a secular and inclusive model of governance has been an important reason behind her party’s success in a state with around 30 per cent Muslim voters.

“The fishermen, the workers, the youths, they all are my friends. I have earmarked 10 lakh jobs for the people of the state,” she said, stressing her commitment to job creation.

Another reason could be the state government’s decision to use its own money to pay the over 59 lakh MGNREGA workers denied wages because the Centre had frozen funds over alleged irregularities.

Trinamool’s narrative was that the Centre had stopped sending funds under various schemes out of anger at failing to win the 2021 Assembly polls.
Politics, West Bengal

Krishnanagar Seat Landslide Victory for Mahua; Reclaims Honor Post Parliament Suspension

Leave a comment

MP, 5 June 2024, Kolkata: The electoral battle in Krishnanagar Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday ended with the people of the constituency rejecting ‘regality’ as the BJP’s candidate ‘Rajbarir Rajmata’ Amrita Roy was trumped by Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) Mahua Moitra who had vowed to avenge her “wrongful suspension” from the “saffron brigade-dominated Parliament”. 

For Amrita Roy, who belongs to the Krishnanagar royal family, the proverb ‘morning shows the day’ apparently eluded her. Roy, though was leading from the constituency in the morning, quickly fell behind as Mahua Moitra’s vote began to climb. 
By afternoon, Moitra was leading with 57,083 votes and she eventually emerged victorious with 56705 votes compared to Roy who gained 5,67,628 votes. A
With her party workers raising slogans, Moitra told the media that she is happy that the BJP received a “deserving blow” in Bengal. She said only the people of Bengal can teach the (PM) Modi-led BJP a lesson. 
“The country does not deserve such a Prime Minister who is a liar,” Moitra said. Criticising the BJP’s “regal invocation” by choosing to field a candidate from a royal family, Moitra, during her campaign earlier, had said: “We are living in an independent democratic country where people of Bengal only recognise one “raja” (king) which is Raja Ram Mohan Roy and one “rani” (queen) Rani Rashmoni. 
Apart from them, who is a king or queen in this independent democratic country I do not know.” Political analysts pointed out that BJP’s trump card of getting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call his party’s candidate Amrita Roy did little to propel her in her first quest to win an electoral battle. 
In the telephonic conversation that was made viral, PM Modi was purportedly heard promising that he would return all the money that was looted from the poor and attached by the Enforcement Directorate. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/mahua-sweeps-the-krishnanagar-seat-avenges-wrongful-suspension-from-parl-566614
Politics, Regional, West Bengal

Bengal chooses Mamata’s ‘guarantee’, rejects BJP’s ‘divisive politics’

Leave a comment

Pradip Chatterjee, MP, 5 June 2024, Kolkata: Pro-people schemes of the Mamata Banerjee government particularly ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ ensured a decisive mandate against the BJP in Bengal with Trinamool Congress surging much ahead, winning 29 Lok Sabha seats out of 42 constituencies. 

The BJP won 11 seats and was leading in 1 seat at the time of filing this report, while the Congress party managed to bag Malda South, as per the data provided by the Election Commission website. 
State’s ruling party registered a vote share of about 46 per cent, whereas the BJP recorded a vote share of 38 per cent. 
Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee is set to leave for Delhi on Wednesday to represent Trinamool Congress in the INDIA block meeting. 
Trinamool’s performance in these LS polls marked its second-best showing in the state since the 2014 elections, where it secured 34 seats. 
TMC’s relentless campaign against the Centre for its deprivation to the state government by stopping funds might have also contributed to the party’s result in the state. 
Trinamool candidate from Diamond Harbour parliamentary constituency Abhishek Banerjee registered the second-highest victory margin in Lok Sabha polls in the country. 
Banerjee, who is the national general secretary of the party won by a margin of over 7.1 lakh votes breaking the previous record held by Anil Basu of CPI(M) who had won the Arambagh seat by a margin of 592,502 votes during the 2004 Lok Sabha polls. 
This is the third consecutive Lok Sabha win for Banerjee who had won in 2014 in 2019. Banerjee bagged over 68.5 per cent of the total votes. 
With the TMC on the verge of sealing a spectacular victory, the party supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday demanded the resignation of PM Modi on ‘moral grounds. 
She also sent out a strong signal that the opposition parties, more specifically the INDIA bloc will never allow the Modi government free hands to pass bills arbitrarily if it forms the government at the Centre. 
The BJP’s top leadership had relied heavily on Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari but the results may now change the equation with the saffron brigade expected to make certain reshuffles within its state unit. 
Further, political analysts believe this result is also likely to affect Adhikari’s political ambitions in the upcoming state elections in 2026. 
Trinamool Congress also retained its seats in the two Kolkata constituencies with both Mala Roy and Sudip Bandyopadhyay winning by a comfortable margin from the Kolkata South and Kolkata North Parliamentary constituencies respectively. 
Sudip won by a margin of 92560 votes while Roy won by 187231 votes. 
The electoral battle in Krishnanagar Lok Sabha seat ended with the people of the constituency rejecting ‘regality’ as the BJP’s candidate ‘Rajbarir Rajmata’ Amrita Roy was trumped by Trinamool Congress’ Mahua Moitra. 
TMC candidate Basirhat Haji Nurul Islam won by a margin of 3,33,547 votes as he secured 8,03,762 votes. Sandeshkhali which was the epicenter of the electoral faceoff between the ruling TMC and the BJP, dashed hopes for the BJP candidate in Basirhat Rekha Patra. 
TMC candidate from Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency Partha Bhowmick scripted a historic victory over his nearest rival BJP’s Arjun Singh by demolishing the latter’s ‘Bahubali’ myth. 
Ex-cricketer Yusuf Pathan and TMC candidate from Berhampore won by a margin of 85,022 votes as he secured 5,24,516 votes while Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury came second. 
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee slammed the BJP in reference to the exit polls forecast. She once again stated that the BJP had prepared the fake exit polls three months ago. 
She once again warned that her party may file a defamation suit as the BJP had published fake advertisements to malign Trinamool Congress by pumping huge money. In the by-elections, TMC’s Sayantika Banerjee won from the Baranagar Assembly seat and Reyat Hossian Sarkar won from the Bhagabangola seat. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/bengal-chooses-mamatas-guarantee-rejects-bjps-divisive-politics-566661
Politics, West Bengal

Results in Bengal on expected lines, people have voted

Leave a comment

PTI, Kolkata, Jun 4, 2024 : The TMC on Tuesday hailed the trends that reflected that the party was racing ahead of its rivals in 30 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats.


The TMC said the results are a reflection of people’s faith in the “pro-people policies” of the Mamata Banerjee government and a decisive mandate against the BJP in the state.
    
The TMC was leading in 31 seats after several rounds of counting, while the BJP was ahead in 10, and Congress in one, according to the Election Commission website at 12:30 PM.
    
“The results are a reflection of people’s faith in the pro-people policies of the TMC government led by our supremo Mamata Banerjee. The people through this decisive mandate against the BJP have defeated the anti-Bengal forces. The results have also proved that the exit polls were a farce by the pro-BJP media,” TMC spokesperson Santanu Sen told PTI.
    
In 2019, the TMC had won 22 seats, whereas the BJP had won 18, and the Congress had bagged two seats.
    
Ecstatic TMC activists started celebrating by dancing to drum beats and smeared each other with ‘green’ gulal as the trends across West Bengal poured in.
    
“Joy Bangla (Hail Bengal)”, “TMC Zindabad,” BJP Hai Hai” slogans rented the air as thousands of TMC supporters hit the streets in Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, Kolkata Uttar, Diamond Harbour, Barrackpore, seats in the city and its neighbourhood.
    
Jubilant party supporters also gathered in large numbers in Asansol, Durgapur-Bardhaman and many other parts and exchanged sweets.
    
Many of them held pictures of the TMC supremo and cutouts of the party symbol.
    
“The celebrations have just started. The consistent campaign by the outsider BJP against Bengal, and the comments by the Prime Minister against the eating habits of people have been rebuffed by the voters. People have voted for Didi and Abhishek Banerjee,” said a TMC activist in Jadavpur.
    
Trends from the counting of votes on Tuesday threw up disappointing results for the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha elections, which appears to be losing heavily in its strongholds of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.
    
Speaking about BJP’s performance at the national level, Sen said the people have voted against the arrogance and misrule of the saffron camp..
    
“The results reflect that the BJP has been defeated morally and also politically,” he said.
Politics, West Bengal

Mamata ‘magic’ continues in West Bengal, BJP misses target

Leave a comment
 Despite facing a barrage of challenges including corruption allegations and internal conflicts, the TMC stood strong, even after opting to go solo post its withdrawal from the INDIA bloc in the state

PTI, Kolkata,  Jun 04 2024 : Defying all exit-poll predictions, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has surged ahead in 29 of West Bengal’s 42 Lok Sabha seats, dealing a blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) target of securing 35 seats as they just managed to reach just double digits.
The BJP was leading in 12 seats according to the EC website.
Three years after putting a halt to the BJP’s advances in Bengal, the TMC, led by Mamata Banerjee, again proved its mettle by thwarting the BJP’s formidable campaign, spearheaded by PM Narendra Modi himself.
Despite facing a barrage of challenges including corruption allegations and internal conflicts, the TMC stood strong, even after opting to go solo post its withdrawal from the INDIA bloc in the state.
Political observers note that the BJP in West Bengal had set an ambitious goal of securing 35 Lok Sabha seats, banking on the implementation of the CAA as a potential game-changer and leveraging Hindu polarisation, which fell flat on their face.
Despite their fervent efforts, they failed to gain substantial ground, primarily due to internal divisions, organisational frailties, and the formidable impact of the Left-Congress alliance, analysts said.
“Internal divisions, organisational weaknesses, and the impact of the Left-Congress alliance all contributed to the BJP’s difficulties in garnering anti-TMC votes,” political analyst Maidul Islam said.
The BJP’s tally is likely to decline by six seats, with its vote share dropping by three percentage points to 37.
In contrast, the TMC’s vote share increased to 47 per cent, up from 43 per cent in 2019.
In the last Lok Sabha polls, the TMC had won 22 seats, the BJP 18, and the Congress two.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) led Left Front failed to win any seats in 2019 and appears to be repeating that performance, not leading in any of the 42 constituencies. The Congress is leading in one seat.
The breakdown of seat-sharing talks between the TMC and the Congress in January appeared to benefit Mamata Banerjee’s party, setting the stage for a three-cornered electoral contest and providing a strategic advantage to the TMC.
According to TMC sources, this breakdown allowed the party to consolidate nearly 30 per cent of the minority and anti-BJP votes in the absence of another credible “secular and stronger force.”
“The breakdown of the alliance worked well for us,” said TMC leader Santanu Sen, adding, “The Left and the Congress were decimated. But as we emerged as the strongest alternative to the BJP in the state, we won even in seats which were considered BJP strongholds.”
The consolidation of anti-TMC votes had previously led to a significant rise in the BJP’s vote share from 17 per cent in 2014 to 40 per cent in 2019, increasing its seat count from two to 18.
Left-Congress alliance also led to TMC’s defeat in three seats in North Bengal where the vote share of the alliance was more than the victory margin of the BJP.
However, political analysts suggest that local issues, such as corruption allegations, the cancellation of SSC jobs, and the implementation of the CAA, reshaped the election dynamics this time around.
The implementation of the CAA, along with Banerjee’s comments against certain sections of the Ramakrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha, and the OBC reservation issue where the Calcutta High Court recently struck down the OBC status of several classes including 77 Muslim communities, helped solidify the TMC’s minority support base.
Although these issues intensified communal polarisation, they also helped the TMC reach out to liberal and elite Bengalis who had been drifting towards the Left and Congress.
Welfare schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar and Kanyashree, aimed at women, also helped solidify the TMC’s base among women voters, who comprise 50 per cent of the electorate.
Despite corruption charges, the SSC scam, and the Sandeshkhali issue where TMC leaders were accused of sexual abuse and land grab, the TMC’s performance remained strong.
The BJP, hoping to make a strong statement in the Basirhat constituency which includes Sandeshkhali, saw its candidate Rekha Patra defeated by TMC veteran Haji Nurul Islam by nearly two lakh votes.
For the BJP, many factors did not work in their favour, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the charge with around 19 rallies.
Political analysts noted that the CAA did not resonate with voters as expected, instead prompting minorities, who were previously undecided between the TMC and the Left-Congress alliance, to consolidate behind the TMC.
“We emphasized the ideological significance of the CAA, likening it to the Ram Mandir issue at the national level and asserting that the CAA would help the party sweep elections in the state,” said a BJP leader who requested anonymity.
“However, our poor organisational strength and failure to counter the TMC’s campaign against the CAA on the ground were significant drawbacks.”
Internal challenges also plagued the BJP, including dissatisfaction among cadres over ticket distribution, leading to possible losses in Junglemahal and North Bengal, where the party is set to lose four seats. Both regions had rewarded the BJP in the last Lok Sabha polls.
Political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty said the lack of a “Modi wave” and the BJP’s organisational weaknesses were critical factors in its poor performance.
The TMC’s victory in the West Bengal Lok Sabha elections showcases its adept strategic maneuvering and capacity to unify support amidst obstacles, while the BJP’s losses emphasise the imperative for bolstered organisational prowess and a compelling campaign approach to rekindle momentum in the region.
Sikkim, West Bengal

Alert to avert deaths, losses: Sikkim and Bengal governments keep watch on rainfall and Teesta

Leave a comment
 On one hand, they have initiated round-the-clock monitoring of rainfall and surge in water levels to pass alerts in advance
The Teesta river near Teesta bazar: File picture

TT Bureau, Siliguri/Jalpaiguri, 04.06.24 : The Bengal irrigation department and the Sikkim government have swung into alert mode at the onset of the southwest monsoon in the sub-Himalayan region and particularly after last year’s flash flood on the Teesta river.

On one hand, they have initiated round-the-clock monitoring of rainfall and surge in water levels to pass alerts in advance.
On the other hand, they have taken initiatives to mitigate the loss of lives and property in case there is a flash flood due to incessant downpours. Over the past few days, it has rained heavily in a number of areas of Sikkim and sub-Himalayan Bengal.

On June 1, the irrigation department opened a Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) room in Jalpaiguri. It will work round the clock throughout the monsoon months to gather data on rainfall and rise in water levels of the Teesta and other rivers through automated rain gauge stations and satellite, said Krishnendu Bhowmik, the chief engineer (northeast) of the department.

According to him, in sub-Himalayan Bengal and Sikkim, data on rainfall and water levels of rivers are collected from 30 rain gauges of the regional Met office of Gangtok, 28 rain gauges of the central water commission and 12 rain gauges of the Bengal irrigation department which have been installed in different locations of the region.

The official mentioned that due to the flash flood which occurred in the Teesta in October last year because of the outburst of South Lhonak Lake, there had been huge deposition of silt and debris downstream.

“As a result, the river bed has risen by one-and-half metres. If it rains heavily along the Teesta catchment areas of the hills and plains, there is a risk of flash flood. That is why we are putting all efforts to gather information in advance so that people living closer to the banks and in low lying areas, can be shifted in advance,” said Bhowmik.

This year, the department has also decided to issue primary (yellow) and secondary (red) alerts along both banks of the Teesta before the water level touches the necessary mark.

“As the river bed has increased, it is evident that the river will swell in a short time during the monsoons. Thus, the alerts would be issued in advance,” Bhowmik added.

Ahead of the monsoons, the department has carried out maintenance and repair works in the banks to prevent breach of embankments.

“However, for the long-term solution, we have to wait for completion of the survey that is being conducted by the River Research Institute (headquartered in Haringhata of Nadia). Only then, plans can be drawn for flood control,” said the official.

Meanwhile, in Sikkim, senior officials of Namchi and Pakyong districts, which are in the southern parts of the mountain state, have visited a number of locations which are on the banks of the Teesta to check out the situation.

“Last week, joint inspections were conducted in Melli, Rangpo Mamring, Adarsh Gaon, Balutar and some other areas to assess the situation. Some vulnerable spots have been identified and instructions were given to carry out immediate restoration works,” said a source.

The state water resources department has been directed to take preventive measures erecting Gabion baskets along the river bank to prevent flooding.

“To ensure that people don’t venture into vulnerable areas, the spots would be barricaded with red ribbons by local authorities. Further, official instructions have been passed to restrict access of people to areas on the Teesta river bank which can cave in because of rise in water levels,” the source added.

As a part of preventive measures, the forest department of Sikkim has mandated closure of quarries after 5pm to ensure the safety of workers.

“The Met office, state department and central agencies are regularly exchanging information to act well in advance,” said a source
West Bengal

Temp likely to go up by 30 Celsius before Friday, says weatherman

Leave a comment

MP, 4 June 2024, Kolkata: The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore has predicted that the temperature may go up by 3 degree Celsius before Friday. 

Discomfort will prevail in South Bengal districts. Southwest monsoon has entered North Bengal but it remained stationary in the same spot for nearly three days. 
A low pressure has formed in south east Bay-of-Bengal Western disturbances will enter north west parts of the country on Tuesday. 
The city on Monday registered its lowest temperature at 27.9 degree Celsius while the highest temperature of the day was registered at 34.4 degree Celsius in Kolkata on Sunday. 
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore had predicted scattered rainfall may happen in several parts of South Bengal. 
Yellow alert had been issued for the districts like North and South 24-Parganas, East Midnapore, Birbhum, Murshidabad and Nadia which would receive moderate to heavy rainfall on Tuesday, on the day of election counting. 
A gusty wind of 40-50 kmph may be sweeping through the regions. The MeT office said that rains will continue in South Bengal till Tuesday while there is a heavy rain forecast in the North. Kolkata, however, will continue to experience dry weather. 
After 15 years, Bengal has witnessed the entry of monsoon rains in the month of May this year. 
The state had registered a similar situation in 2009 when the monsoon entered north Bengal on May 25. In 2006 and 2007, monsoon entered North Bengal in May. Monsoon entered North Bengal on May 31 this year. 
But the pre-monsoon season is going on in the south. The normal monsoon onset date for Kerala is June 1 and for Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Assam is June 5. 
According to weather scientists, El Nino conditions are prevailing at present and La Nina may set in by August-September. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/temp-likely-to-go-up-by-30-celsius-before-friday-says-weatherman-566467
Politics, West Bengal

How LS candidates are preparing for counting day Some rest, meet parents; others stay with party workers

Leave a comment

PTI, Kolkata, Jun 3, 2024 :  With the campaign frenzy now a fading echo and the polls over, a palpable tension gripped the air as candidates of various political parties faced the anxious moments for the EVMs to be opened.

To pass that time, some candidates preferred to stay with the party workers, others decided to take some rest after the heat and dust of electioneering, while some others took timeout to meet parents before the results were announced.
    
Sougata Roy, veteran TMC MP from the Dum Dum, is one such candidate who is making the most of this period by giving time to himself.
    
“I read books and sleep during this period,” he said while talking to PTI.
    
However, not everyone spends the way Roy does. For BJP’s Medinipur candidate Agnimitra Paul, there is “no time to die or rest”.
    
“I have lots of work to do before the EVM machines are opened for counting of votes. Setting up camps near the counting centres, selecting and briefing the counting agents along with other party workers – I have been busy with all these,” Paul said.
    
For one day, she had to go to Durgapur as her mother was unwell, she said.
    
BJP candidate from Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency Dilip Ghosh said that he had to make a whirlwind tour of various constituencies and only got one-and-a-half months to campaign in his seat.
    
Now he is in his constituency with his party activists and counting agents.
    
Sujan Chakraborty, CPI(M) candidate from Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency said, “I just had a few moments to spend with my mother when I visited Midnapore recently. I had no time for myself after polling was held in my constituency since I have campaigned for other candidates of my party.”
   
“I am an active worker of the party and it is a 365-day job. I am back doing my regular job after the polls were over in Dum Dum constituency on June 1,” Chakraborty said.
    
The Left leader said that besides attending party meetings he visited all those workers who were attacked and beaten up by our rival party during and after the polls, Chakraborty added.
    
The feeling is strange now, TMC sitting MP and Birbhum candidate Satabdi Roy said.
    
“It’s like the situation after a war is over…everything is so quiet. In this waiting period, the feeling like that of a student who is waiting for the exam results or like the person who is about to meet her or his love for the first time in person,” the actor-turned-politician said.
    
Roy also said that tonight she is going to attend several meetings with her workers in her constituency.
Regional, West Bengal

Cooch Behar man plants more than 3,000 trees for a greener future

Leave a comment

Shashikesh Roy, MP, 2 June 2024, Cooch Behar: Bajrang Parik, a resident of Cooch Behar, is guiding the entire town by planting trees as a saviour of the summer. 

At a time when trees are being cut down without regard for the environment, Bajrang Parik of Cooch Behar is silently working to benefit the environment. 
So far, he has planted more than 3,000 trees. Every morning, he sets out on his bicycle with planting equipment to take care of the trees according to the rules. 63-year-old Bajrang Parik resides at No. 2 Kalighat Road adjacent to Cooch Behar Railway Station. 
Although he owns a garment shop in Bhavaniganj Bazar, his primary task is tree planting. He mentioned: “Since 2005, I have been planting trees. 
Initially, I planted only flowers and fruit trees. I used to distribute saplings to some people. Later, I started planting various types of trees, including banyan and neem. I have planted many trees in the town and surrounding areas, including Cooch Behar Railway Station, Torsha, Saheb Colony, Kalighat Road, Lankabar and Vivekananda Street.” 
Bajrang added: “I make saplings at home myself and there are more than 100 saplings ready. In the morning, I go out with my bicycle, carrying saplings, soil and digging equipment. 
After planting a tree, I protect it with a sack or an old piece of saree and then I take care of it again. My goal is to create a large garden with banyan, mango, and jackfruit trees, where there will be cool breezes and birdsong.” 
Environmentalists emphasise that trees are indispensable for maintaining the balance of nature and the cutting of trees contributes to rising temperatures. In such circumstances, everyone should follow the example of Bajrang and come forward to plant trees. 
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/cooch-behar-man-plants-more-than-3000-trees-for-a-greener-future-566265?infinitescroll=1
Health, Regional, West Bengal

Safe drinking water supply resumes in Siliguri

Leave a comment

Sanchita Aich Bag, MP, 2 June 2024, Siliguri: Finally after five days, citizens of Siliguri were supplied with safe drinking water by the Siliguri Municipal Corporation from Sunday evening with water pumped from the Teesta River. Gautam Deb, Mayor of Siliguri in a Press conference on Sunday, announced: “The Public Health department (PHE) has given approval for drinking the water supplied by the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) from the Teesta River. 

As per our commitment, we started supplying purified drinking water from Teesta from Sunday evening, after getting approval from
the PHE department. I apologise for the inconvenience that people had to face during these days. 
I thank our Chief Minister, who was constantly in touch with me.”
On May 29, the Mayor had appealed to citizens not to drink the water supplied by SMC till June 2 as the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) in the water of Mahananda River has increased, which could cause illness. Sabita Sarkar, a resident of Ward 35, said: “I was buying packaged drinking water. 
, on Sunday evening we received purified water again like before at around 6:30 pm. The Mayor announced that we could drink the water from Sunday.” 
Owing to the flash floods in Teesta River, the Teesta Dam at Gajoldoba in Jalpaiguri was damaged resulting in heavy siltation thus pumping of water from Teesta had to be stopped.
Instead, they started pumping water from the Mahananda River and supplied it to every ward for drinking purposes. While testing the water, PHE had found that the amount of BOD had increased in the Mahananda River’s water. 
The usual amount should be 1-2 Portable Parallel Analysis (PPA) whereas it was 2.9 PPA. Earlier, Deb informed that work on repairs of the Teesta Dam would be over by June 1 and purified water from the Teesta River would be supplied from the evening of June 2. 
The Irrigation department released water from Teesta River to Fulbari Canal on Saturday. The water was then purified and sent to wards. 
The Mayor also said that cleaning work of Fuleswari, Jorapani, Panchanai rivers has started. 
Rs 10 crores has been sanctioned for this. People of Siliguri heaved a sigh of relief with the normalising of safe drinking water supply.
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/safe-drinking-water-supply-resumes-in-siliguri-566268
Crime, International, West Bengal

Cops reach Nepal to probe B’desh MP murder case

Leave a comment

Agencies, 2 June 2024, Kolkata: A police team from Bangladesh has visited Nepal in search of one of the accomplices of the prime suspect in the murder of Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar, a source in the Bengal CID said on Sunday. 

The team is in touch with the Nepal Police, who have assured it of all assistance, he added. Anar was allegedly murdered in a posh flat in New Town area near here. 
An arrested person, who police claimed is a butcher by profession, allegedly chopped the body of the Bangladeshi lawmaker into 80 pieces and mixed them with turmeric before disposing them at different locations, including a canal around New Town. 
It is suspected that Anar’s friend and business partner Akhtaruzzaman, who is now a US citizen, plotted the murder. “Grilling the arrested accused, we have come to know that one person, Siyam, and the main conspirator have fled to Nepal soon after committing the crime. It seems that Siyam is still hiding in Nepal while Akhtaruzzaman has gone to the USA,” he told a news agency.
When enquired about when the lawmaker’s daughter would be arriving in the city, the officer said that they were expecting her in a couple of days. 
Police have plans to conduct a DNA test on the flesh recovered from the septic tank of the New Town flat and match it with the daughter. Meanwhile, search for the body parts of Anar continued on Sunday, he added. 
The search for the missing MP, who reportedly arrived in Kolkata on May 12 to undergo medical treatment, began after Gopal Biswas, a resident of Baranagar in north Kolkata and an acquaintance of the Bangladeshi politician, filed a complaint with the local police on May 18. Anar had stayed at Biswas’s house upon arrival. 
In his complaint, Biswas stated that Anar left his Baranagar residence for a doctor’s appointment in the afternoon of May 13 and that he would be back home for dinner. Biswas claimed that the Bangladesh MP went incommunicado on May 17, which prompted him to file a missing complaint a day later. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/detectives-start-looking-into-how-tools-used-in-bangladeshi-mps-murder-were-procured-566274?infinitescroll=1
West Bengal

After 15 years, Bengal witnesses entry of monsoon rains in May

Leave a comment

MP, 2 June 2024, Kolkata: After 15 years, Bengal has witnessed the entry of monsoon rains in the month of May this year. 

The state had registered a similar situation in 2009 when the monsoon entered North Bengal on May 25. In 2006 and 2007, monsoon entered North Bengal in May. Monsoon entered North Bengal on May 31 this year. 
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore had predicted scattered rainfall may happen in several South Bengal districts till next Friday. 
Yellow alert had been issued for the districts like North 24 and South24-Parganas, East Midnapore, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia which would receive moderate to heavy rainfall on Monday. 
It will rain in several South Bengal districts on the day of election counting on Tuesday. The MeT office said that rains will continue in South Bengal till Tuesday while there is a heavy rain forecast in the North. 
Kolkata, however, will continue to experience dry weather from Sunday onwards, the Meteorological office said. However, there is a possibility of heavy rain in North Bengal in the next few days. 
Monsoon has already entered North Bengal but the pre-monsoon season is going on in the south. 
Various districts, including Kolkata, have witnessed the rain for the past few days. According to the weather office forecast, light to moderate rain with thunderstorms may occur in a few districts of South Bengal in the next couple of days. 
Along with that, wind speeds of 30 to 40 km per hour can blow. North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, East Midnapore and West Midnapore will have higher wind speed. The wind can blow at a speed of 40 to 50 kilometers per hour in those four districts. 
“Rain is likely in eight districts of South Bengal on Monday. However, Kolkata is not in that list. North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura and Nadia may get wet on Monday. East Burdwan, West Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad and Nadia may also receive rain on that day. 
Heavy rain is forecast in three northern districts from Monday to Thursday. Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar are likely to receive 7 to 11 cm of rain. Several districts in South Bengal received pre-monsoon rainfall late on Thursday night. 
The normal monsoon onset date for Kerala is June 1 and for Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Assam is June 5. 
According to weather scientists, El Nino conditions are prevailing at present, and La Nina may set in by August-September. 
El Nino – the periodic warming of surface waters in the central Pacific Ocean – is associated with weaker monsoon winds and drier conditions in India. La Nina – the antithesis of El Nino- leads to plentiful rainfall during the monsoon season. 
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/after-15-years-bengal-witnesses-entry-of-monsoon-rains-in-may-566315
Politics, West Bengal

EC orders repolling in two booths in West Bengal

Leave a comment

PTI, Kolkata, Jun 2, 2024 : The Election Commission on Sunday ordered repolling at one booth each in the Barasat and Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituencies, an official said. 
The decision of repolling, which will be held from 7 am to 6 pm on Monday, was based on reports of the returning officers, the district election officers and observers concerned, he said. 
The booth in the Barasat constituency is located at the Kadambagachi Saradar Para FP School in the Deganga assembly segment, while the one in Mathurapur is located at the Aaddir Mahal Srichaitanya Bidyapith in the Kakdwip assembly seat, he added. 
Meanwhile, the BJP wrote to the EC, seeking repoll at several booths in the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat. 
All these seats went to the polls in the last phase on June 1.

Crime, Politics, West Bengal

Sandeshkhali: Widespread violence in final phase of LS polls in state

Leave a comment
PTI, Kolkata, Jun 1, 2024 :  Widespread violence between supporters of the TMC and the BJP over alleged electoral malpractices in strife-torn Sandeshkhali marred the final phase of Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal on Saturday, resulting in injuries to a number of people.

    A 69.89 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm across the nine contested seats that went to polls, several of which witnessed sporadic violence.

    The Election Commission received 2,667 complaints until 4 pm, alleging EVM malfunction and obstruction of agents entering booths.

    The TMC, Congress, ISF, and BJP each filed hundreds of complaints related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on agents. Despite these issues, the Election Commission stated that “barring a few incidents, the polling was peaceful”.

    “Highest polling of 76.56 per cent was registered in Basirhat, followed by Mathurapur (74.13), Jaynagar (73.44), Diamond Harbour (72.87), Barasat (71.80), Jadavpur (70.41), Dum Dum (67.60), Kolkata Dakshin (60.88), and Kolkata Uttar (59.23),” he said.

    Voter turnout in Baranagar bypoll until 5 pm was 66.70 per cent, the official added. Voting commenced at 7 am and was scheduled to conclude at 6 pm.

    Sources suggest the turnout may increase further as long queues were observed outside polling booths.

    All nine seats are presently with the TMC. In the last parliamentary polls, Basirhat, Mathurapur, Jaynagar, Diamond Harbour, and Barasat recorded 85, 84, 82, 81, and 81 per cent voter turnout, respectively.

    The voter turnout in Jadavpur, Dum Dum, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar was 79, 76, 69.82, and 65 per cent, respectively, in 2019.

    In Sandeshkhali which comes under the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat, clashes broke out between TMC and BJP supporters over allegations of electoral malpractices.

    The police used batons and tear gas to control the situation. BJP candidate Rekha Patra alleged that TMC goons stopped voters from casting their votes.

    Women voters of Sandeshkhali accused the TMC of not allowing them to cast their votes freely, an allegation dubbed baseless by the state’s ruling party.

    The TMC made counter-allegations and accused Patra and BJP goons of trying to vitiate the poll atmosphere.

    As both groups came to blows on the Basanti Express Highway, the police resorted to baton charges and tear gas shell firing to disperse the mob.

    The BJP also claimed that shots were also fired by the TMC goons.

    Clashes among the police, BJP, and the TMC activists were reported from three pockets of Sandeshkhali as in several areas TMC and BJP workers were seen hurling bricks at the police.

    Basirhat SP Hossain Mehedi Rahaman said three persons were injured during the clash between TMC and BJP supporters at Bayramari in Sandeshkhali, adding that one person was arrested in this connection.

    Sandeshkhali’s Bermajur area has been on the boil since last night as the BJP made allegations that TMC workers, accompanied by policemen, intimidated its polling agents by visiting their homes on Friday night.

    Sporadic violence was also reported in the other eight constituencies voting in West Bengal.

    Clashes broke out among the TMC, ISF, and the BJP in different pockets as the parties clashed over stopping polling agents from entering booths.

    A confrontation erupted in Bhangar within the Jadavpur constituency between backers of Trinamool Congress and the Indian Secular Front (ISF), with allegations of crude bombs being hurled from both sides. Police intervention ensued, triggering protests as both factions accused each other.

    Angry voters of Kultuli within the Joynagar constituency threw EVMs and VVPAT machines into nearby water bodies alleging electoral misconduct.

    TMC supporters have accused the ISF of orchestrating the violence to intimidate voters. Prompt action from local law enforcement led to lathi charges and the arrest of suspects in the Polerhat area of Bhangar.

    In the Canning area, clashes were reported between the TMC and the BJP.

    BJP candidate Abhijit Das accused the ruling party of malpractices, which the TMC denied. As Das approached a polling booth, TMC activists staged protests and shouted “Go back” slogans. In response, Das got out of his car and shouted counter slogans.

    Similarly, CPI(M) candidate Patikur Rehman faced “go back” slogans from TMC workers when he attempted to visit a booth in the Canning area.

    In Jadavpur, CPI(M) workers were allegedly beaten by the TMC activists and their camp offices were ransacked.

    In Baranagar assembly seat, where a by-poll is on, CPI(M) candidate Tanmay Bhattacharya was allegedly assaulted when he was standing outside a booth as TMC workers accused him of trying to influence the voters.

    In some areas, media persons were also injured while covering the clashes.

    The TMC exuded confidence about retaining all nine seats.

    “The BJP tried to vitiate the poll atmosphere. But overall the people could cast their votes and we are confident of a win,” Education Minister Bratya Basu said.

    BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari demanded re-polling in several booths of the Diamond Harbour constituency alleging malpractices.

    “The TMC in a pre-planned way stopped the Hindus from casting their votes in various seats. We want re-polling in various booths of the Diamond Harbour constituency as the violence and irregularities have been rampant,” he said.

    CPI (M) state secretary Mohammad Salim claimed that the election process in the Diamond Harbour constituency, where TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee is seeking a third consecutive term, was “fraudulent”.