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Banglar Disha- After BJP, Indian National Congress releases its manifesto for West Bengal election

Banglar Disha

On Monday, West Bengal Congress Chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury released the party’s election manifesto, titled- ‘Banglar Disha’ for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Chowdhury launched the manifesto at the party’s state headquarters in Kolkata.

The Congress manifesto came a day after BJP announced its manifesto. The saffron party’s manifesto intends to implement the new citizenship law, ensure employment to one member of every family, set up modern hospitals, spend thousands of crores of rupees for development infrastructure in Kolkata and the districts and support farmers, fishermen, tribal people and backward classes.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

The Union Home Minister gave elaborations on the manifesto at an election rally at Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas district while addressing the Dalit Matua community which has demanded the law’s immediate implementation. He spoke in Hindi at the rally which triggered reactions from the TMC.

Schedule for the upcoming elections in India (four states and a UT) was announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27 to April, 29 and the vote counting will take place on May, 02, 2021.

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Sisir Adhikari joins BJP at Egra rally in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Sisr-adhikari

Patriarch of Nandigram’s Adhikari family & a three-time Contai-MP, Sisir Adhikari confirmed the rumours of his joining BJP, ahead of Union home minister Amit Shah’s rally in Egra. He formally joined BJP at the Egra rally in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Sisir said that he was made to switch camps by TMC led by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, against which now he will put up a staunch fight in the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal to “save the honour of Midnapore”.

Also See: What are the problem areas of TMC and the chances of BJP in this election season in West Bengal

 The Adhikari family, which wields considerable influence in Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district, could play its part in helping BJP gain a rise in voteshare. Sisir’s son’s Suvendhu already joined the BJP in December last year.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days  are getting closer

Before leaving for Egra, Sisir had said, “They (TMC leaders) forced me to join the BJP. Let them (TMC) do what they want, and I will do what I can.”

The TMC MP had accused the ruling party of “humiliating” him and his son Suvendu, who is locked in a fierce battle with Banerjee in the district’s Nandigram constituency.

Schedule for the upcoming elections in India (four states and a UT) was announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27 to April 29 and the vote counting will take place on May, 02, 2021.

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Blaming Election Commission to be biased, delegation from TMC made specific demands

Election Commission of India, which was once reformed by TN Seshan (in early 1990s) is now facing serious questions over its legitimacy as an organization which coordinates the national and state elections. On one hand, it claimed that the responsibility of the security of CM Mamata Banerjee, falls on Director of Security, an officer under the administrative control of the West Bengal police, and on the other hand, it decided that polling stations in the state-election would be no-man’s land for the state police.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days  are getting closer

Election Commission & TMC have had a troubling relationship of late, with the ruling party in West Bengal having continuously questioned the commission’s decisions. TMC has also accused the poll-body of acting in favour of the BJP.

The poll-body was also blamed by TMC in a memorandum submitted to the ECI, that highlighted that the partisan and biased approach of the ECI has made “free, fair and transparent elections” in West Bengal a distant reality.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Another letter, which was signed by TMC MPs Derek O’Brien, Saugata Roy and Mahua Moitra as well as former BJP leader and Union minister Yashwant Sinha, who recently joined the party, stated, “It is becoming increasingly clear that free, fair and transparent elections in the state of West Bengal is becoming a distant reality. This is evident from the partisan and biased approach taken by the EC in respect of the ongoing elections in the state.”

TMC has expressed indignation at reports which suggested that the Election Commission has decided to not allow state police within 100 metres of the polling stations, making the sites a no-man’s land for the state police.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

In this regard, the letter from the TMC delegation further added, “It has been reported in the media that the EC has decided to not permit the presence of state police within 100 metres of polling stations and only deploy Central Forces in such an arena. If true, this decision is unprecedented and casts severe aspersions on the reputation of the police administration in the state of West Bengal.”

In its defence, sources in the polling body have stated that the given instruction from the ECI is meant for the civic police, made up of  civic volunteers who are deployed in aid of the state police. The TMC-delegation also asked for a proper coordination between state police and central forces at polling-stations to ensure a free & fair election.

Also See: What are the problem areas of TMC and the chances of BJP in this election season in West Bengal

TMC also has demanded the election commission for the tally of all VVPAT machines, which the delegation claimed has been summarily dismissed. In this matter, the letter from TMC added, “It may be noted that the very purpose of installing VVPAT machines are considerable cost has deliberately been made redundant and ineffective. We may remind you, that not only was the said judgement primarily meant for the 2019 general elections but that the law insists that every time EVMs are used, there must be a sui generis consideration of facts, circumstances and necessities.”

In 2019, the Supreme Court had dismissed a writ petition which had sought 100% random physical counting of the EVM-VVPAT in the LS polls. The Supreme Court had also refused to hear and delve into the issue of EVM programming, where the review plea had contended that Indian democracy could not be left to the mercy of EVM programmers.

Schedule for the upcoming elections in India (four states and a UT) was announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27 to April 29 and the vote counting will take place on May, 02, 2021.

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Uncomfortable questions on PMCARES and DeMo launched by Mamata Banerjee at Khejuri rally

MB

In the run-up to election of West Bengal 2021, Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on BJP over the PM-CARES fund, at an election rally held in the Khejuri district on Saturday.

At another rally in Panskura, she took potshots at the BJP-camp stating that the party is not getting “proper candidates” for the coming polls and is therefore nominating its MPs in assembly seats.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

At the Khejuri poll rally, TMC (Trinamool Congress) supremo said, “If a common man steals ₹500 then he is called a ‘tolabaaz’. What do we call the BJP government who stole crores of Rupees? ‘Tolabaaz’s feudal landlord’ ?”

CM Banerjee levelled similar allegations against the saffron party at a public meeting earlier in the day in Haldia.  There she had said, “Is BJP a political party? It is a disgusting party in India. Even BJP girls are not safe in the BJP party. See who is in what condition with the news. The evil deeds of their leaders will come out. BJP is the biggest Tolabaaz in India.”

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days  are getting closer

In the rally at Khejuri, CM Mamata Banerjee also took a jibe at BJP joinee & TMC-turncoat Suvendu Adhikari stating that she was relieved that “Mir jafars” (traitors) have quit her party. She also alleged that BJP has stolen several lakh crores of rupees from the common people of the country by “selling” the Railways, BSNL and banks, further alleging that Modi has stolen money meant for COVID-19 management.

She also added, “BJP must clear the air over the fate of the demonetisation money and PM Cares fund. People want to know.”

Schedule for the upcoming elections in India (four states and a UT) was announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27, 2021 to April, 29, 2021 and the vote counting will take place on May, 02, 2021.

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In Sonachura, Nandigram, people hurled slogans calling Suvendu Adhikari Mir Jafar

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In Sonachura, a village in Nandigram region, the vehicle of Suvendu Adhikari was surrounded by the supporters of Mamata Banerjee. The TMC-cadres and supporters of Mamata Banerjee started shouting slogans against Suvendu Adhikari calling him Mir Jafar.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Earlier, Mamata Banerjee at a rally in East Midnapore, had severely castigated BJP saying, “Bid farewell to BJP, we do not want BJP. We do not want to see Modi’s face. We do not want riots, loots, Duryodhan, Durshasana, Mir Jafar.” Taking a jibe at the leaders who defected to BJP from TMC, CM Banerjee termed the mass exodus as a good riddance, and called the defectors traitors.

CM Mamata Banerjee had recently upped the ante against her former protégé, Adhikari. At the rally in Tamluk area in East Midnapore, she added that her care for Adhikari was blind and that she will no more tolerate any gaddar (traitor) & that there is no place for Mir Jafars in the party.

CM-Mamata Banerjee also highlighted that the fate of people like Modi and Amit Shah in 2024 LS-elections would be decided by the West Bengal 2021 election.

Suvendu, in his campaign praised the vaccination drive initiated by PM, and again unsurprisingly brought in the name of Pakistan while criticizing the opposition.

The schedule for the upcoming elections in India (four states and a UT) was announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27, 2021 to April, 29, 2021 and the vote counting will take place on May, 02, 2021.

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Outrage and rampage in Bengal after announcement of new list of BJP candidates

West Bengal is gearing up for a high-pitched electoral battle in coming days, which will witness elections in India in four states and an UT. As the list of the candidates of the BJP candidates contesting the Bengal polls is getting longer with more names being added, violent protests from the local BJP workers in the state are becoming more widespread. Displeased over the list, local BJP leaders & party workers are on a rampage after the announcement of the new list.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days  are getting closer

From New Delhi office of BJP the next list of 157 candidates was announced. Subsequently, across various districts in West Bengal displeased local BJP-workers started their rampage in the BJP offices. North Bengal saw the first spate of violence. Jalpaiguri and Harishchandrapur in Maldah witnessed violence in BJP-offices.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

The Jalpaiguri office was set ablaze by the local leaders & BJP-party workers. The table, chairs were smashed and the posters of Modi & Dilip Ghosh were torn down to pieces. District Vice president (Jalpaiguri) Alok Chakraborty said, “The central leadership cannot have their whims and fancies.” Harishchandrapur saw a similar reaction with the party-workers carrying out mayhem at the party office. Slogans of “Dhikkar” were shouted against the North Maldah MP Khogen Murmu. The local leaders there accused that tickets were given in lieu of money. In this context, the TMC leader Mousam Nur stated, “Our (TMC’s) fight became easier in Maldah.” In Sahapur, Maldah, the electoral office was rampaged by around 200 BJP-party workers.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

South Bengal also saw similar reactions from the displeased party workers of BJP. The party office in Durgapur was locked down. Selection of independent candidates began in order to teach the high command of BJP a lesson. Places like Ranaghat and Kalyani also saw outburst of displeasure of the local BJP-workers. In Murshidabad, demand was raised to change the candidate.

The local workers and the BJP faces are irked that the ones working with BJP for long-time were ignored and others were chosen as candidates. This shows the disconnect of BJP with the ground reality & sentiments in West Bengal.

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West Bengal election: Is this an election of 294 Mamatas vs 294 others- looks like it is

Mamata-Banerjee

In the upcoming set of elections in India, where West Bengal is going to see the electoral battle between TMC and BJP, there is an idea which is shared among people across different levels and across parties and among the general population.

The TMC might have replaced the Left-front in West Bengal, in 2011, after the latter’s 34 years-rule, but majority of problems left by the Left have not been solved. Apart from this, the ground-level workers and cadres of TMC are perceived totally differently from the high-command in TMC, especially Mamata Banerjee.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days  are getting closer

The ubiquitous nature of the corrupt cadres who are in the TMC-boat just because it is the ruling party is an open secret. A district Vice-President in Jhargram stated that ground-level people in TMC have in fact taken money, but since Didi (CM-Mamata Banerjee) has promised to take actions, all of these would not matter.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

All local leaders like the district vice-president of TMC in Jhargram accepted a fact that it is in fact Mamata Banerjee herself who is the candidate in the 294 seats in the upcoming assembly election, and because of this, the local leaders & the grey-scale of their credentials would actually not matter.

This position about the all-pervasiveness of Didi’s influence in the state polity is shared among the general people, the local TMC-workers, and the leaders and cadres of other parties as well.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

The newbie party, Indian secular front founded by the Pirzada of the Furfura sharif has got many new supporters, who feeel that TMC has not done anything for the Muslim community in the state.The ISF is contesting this election in an electoral tie-up with the Left-Congress alliance. One such new supporter of ISF allows for a higher moral ground for Mamata Banerjee, saying that she cannot be blamed.  The interesting part about the “TMC vs others” story in Bengal is that Mamata is mostly immune from the ire that people and other leaders have against the TMC-leaders and party-workers. The anti-incumbency wave is mostly sparing Mamata for the misdeeds carried out by the TMC-cadres, most of whom have jumped from the Left front after the landmark victory of TMC in 2011. Almost all including the opposition leaders are condemning the party but leaving Didi out of the criticism circle.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

Whether it is the work in the NREGA scheme in West Bengal, or the expansion of TMC cadres after the 2011 victory, or the post-Amphan recovery work, the TMC, and its workers have been criticized for multiple counts of misdeeds and irregularities. But, Mamata has largely been kept out of the blame-game except for the vocal critics in the BJP, which is trying to gain entry into Bengal politics.

Also See: What are the problem areas of TMC and the chances of BJP in this election season in West Bengal

Hence, despite the numerous defections from the TMC into the BJP, this assembly election, which is one among the five main elections in India this year, is actually a fight of 294 Mamatas against 294 others who do not have an unified voice or even a face. (It would be false to assume that Modi is the face of the 294 opposing candidates.) It remains to be seen how public perception of Mamata Banerjee boils down to the numbers which would get declared on May 02 after the conclusion of the election.

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Thin crowds forced JP Nadda to conclude road-show halfway in Bishnupur

Bengal election 2021

BJP and TMC are facing each other in one of the first elections in India this year, in West Bengal. While TMC is capitalizing on the injury that Mamata Banerjee got in Nandigram, BJP is trying to make gains out of the defections from the ruling party in the state.

At Bishnupur, the road-show rally on Tuesday, for JP Nadda did not go as planned and expected for BJP. Nadda was supposed to reach the place at 11 am but he reached after 2 pm. Many of the party-workers and other people of the region walked back towards their home, bored of the delay and irritated by the afternoon heat.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days  are getting closer

At around 3pm, a rally was to be held at Kotulpur led by Nadda, but he reached there more than two hours after the scheduled timing. Hence, he had to finish his speech within 30 minutes. The local BJP units in the district are in discomfort on the scanty participation in the rally that Nadda took out while campaigning for the candidates standing from Bishnupur & Kotulpur.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

As per sources within BJP in Bishnupur, Nadda’s rally was scheduled to begin at the Kumari cinema in the town and it was planned to be taken through Pokabandh & Chokbazaar concluding at the Rasikganj. Due to this plan, local BJP workers were waiting since 10:30 am in the morning at the helipad on the ground of the National Club. But a long wait and a scorching Sun turned off many of the people waiting for the arrival of Nadda, who arrived at the place at around 2:15 pm.

At the Chokbazaar in Bishnupur, in the mid-way of the procession, the road-show of Nadda, which began late had to be stopped against the plans primarily due to thin crowds.

The schedule for election for the four states and a UT were announced on February, 26, 2021. In West Bengal, the election will be held in 8 phases from March 27, 2021 to April, 29, 2021 and the votes will be counted on May, 02, 2021.

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UP-CM Adityanath campaigning for BJP had to seat waiting for a crowd that did not materialize at Belda Narayangarh

Belda-Rally

Rallies of the BJP for the election in West Bengal are not pulling in large crowds which has put the party in a fix.

At the rally in Belda, the field was not crowded. Giving a speech in an empty field is very dishonourably inappropriate for a state chief minister. So on Tuesday in Belda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had to wait a long time to speak. On the same day, he came to Belda to hold a rally in support of BJP candidate Ramaprasad Giri from Narayangarh constituency. He arrived at the meeting place just in time. But the meeting was delayed by one hour due to lack of people.

However, after waiting for an hour, the meeting started but the crowd did not get pooled. Adityanath himself, of course, tried to explain the situation. “I arrived an hour ago,” he said. As expected, he criticized the Trinamool government, saying that the BJP does what it says. Trying to add a religious colour to the rally, he added, “Wherever Lord Rama has been opposed, the people have given worthy answers. They will answer here too!”

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days getting closer

On the same day, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting at Jalchak of Sabang Assembly seat and Chaipat Faridpur of Daspur Assembly seat. At Jalchak, he was accompanied by state BJP president and MP Dilip Ghosh. These two meetings were not as crowded as was expected and drum-beated about by BJP. In both the meetings, Rajnath criticized the Trinamool government. He said that there is a lot of fighting going on here; hence there was no development, and that opponents are not allowed to carry out political programmes.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Rajnath Singh added that these will stop when the BJP government comes. He further added, “People will not be victims of political oppression.” Trying to lure the Bengali voters, he also said that as soon as Sourav Ganguly went ahead in the cricket crease, it was clear that he would hit sixes. Singh further added, “You have given us the lead in the Lok Sabha elections. Now it is time to hit a six.”

Dilip Ghosh said that the wife of his brother had won the by-election instead of the candidate of Trinamool congress, and that this time his brother is back again. He also added that this election should start from Pingla (Kharagpur sub-division in Paschim Medinipur district).

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Desperate to remove the challenge posed by Mamata Banerjee, BJP goes to Election Commission-but it is too late

ECI

In a scenario where it is cornered on the farm-laws & farmers’ protests, and when it is struggling to find the remaining 171 candidates for West Bengal election, the only thorn in the path of BJP right now is Mamata Banerjee. Desperate to get her out of the way, the BJP reached out to the Election commission again.

Allegedly, Mamata Banerjee hid the information in the affidavit submitted with the nomination paper. The charge sheet mentions five FIRs filed in Assam, including a CBI case. The BJP had demanded that Mamata’s nomination be cancelled.

Also See: Battle for Bengal gets pithier as election days getting closer

As soon as questions were raised about the affidavit of the Trinamool Congress-supremo, there was a fight in the state politics all day long. But the whole thing turned diametrically opposite in the afternoon. The question, in this case, is whether the Mamata Banerjee, in whose name the cases are being mentioned, is at all the TMC-supremo or someone different.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

The commission is looking into the whole matter. According to CBI sources, a case was filed against an employee of the Central Government-Group D in Durgapur-Asansol under the Anti-Corruption Act. The CBI found a large amount of property in the investigation. On the basis of this, cases related to inappropriate income were filed. Chargesheet was issued in that case against the central government worker and his wife. Coincidentally, the woman’s name was Mamata Banerjee. This case involving a person with the same name has been tangled with the TMC-candidate from Nandigram, which is CM Mamata Banerjee.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Even then, the commission officials are reluctant to give much importance to the issue. They say that if the information in the affidavit is concealed, someone else can submit a counter-affidavit. That is also highlighted on the website along with the information of that candidate. However, the nomination papers are not cancelled. Coincidentally, Monday was the day for scrutiny of the second round of voting. So, naturally the candidates of Nandigram have also been scrutinized. In the second phase, 176 people submitted nomination papers. Among them are CM Mamata Banerjee, 30 candidates from the Trinamool Congress, 30 from the BJP, 15 from the CPM, nine from the Congress, two from the CPI and the Forward Bloc, seven from the BSP, 47 others , and 34 independents. At the end of the scrutiny, it was learnt that CM Mamata Banerjee’s nomination paper was not rejected. The commission has rejected the nomination of only one independent candidate in this episode.

Also See: What are the problem areas of TMC and the chances of BJP in this election season in West Bengal

In other words, despite the BJP’s allegations or desperate attempts, TMC-supremo Mamata Banerjee is contesting from Nandigram. However, the Election Commission is trying hard to handle this assembly election, given the allegations labelled against it. The commission has taken steps to remove ADG (Law and Order) Javed Shamim within 24 hours of announcing the eight-phased-voting schedule, unprecedentedly. Javed sat in that post only 21 days ago. After that, DGP Virendra of the state police was also removed.

Election commission did not take lightly the incident of Mamata Banerjee being injured. The Superintendent of Police and the Director of Security have been suspended for negligence in security. The Commission had instructed the Chief Secretary to fix the name of the next Director of Security by 01 pm on Monday in consultation with the DGP. Similarly, Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay sent the name of Gyanwant Singh to Delhi, with the Election Commission having sealed & stamped it.

Also See: West Bengal 2021: Battleground for BJP and TMC

Mamata Banerjee has seriously rattled the BJP-leadership, pushed on a back foot on multiple issues like the farmers’ protests and suppression of voice of dissent, in the context of her being a staunch opponent & vocal critic of the central government, in the face of the upcoming state elections.