West Bengal elections highlights: TMC files complaint against Mithun, Dilip Ghosh for hosting meetings in violation of EC's Covid-19 protocol

Six phases of polling have concluded in Bengal, and Covid-appropriate campaigning continues in the state. PM Modi addressed rallies in Suri, Malda, Berhampore, and Bhawanipur via video conferencing, as he had to cancel his visit to the state due to high-level meetings on Covid-19 situation. Mamata Banerjee skipped meetings with PM Modi, and oxygen supply and medicines remain a flashpoint between TMC and the Centre.

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Mamata 'challenges' BJP to win more than 70 seats, slams Centre's handling of COvid-19

CPI(M) banks on young Turk Aishie Ghosh in triangular fight in Jamuria

The Jamuria Assembly constituency in West Bardhaman district will decide the fate of perhaps the Left Front's most prominent young candidate, JNUSU president Aishie Ghosh. In one of the few remaining bastions of the CPI(M) in West Bengal, the party preferred Ghosh over its two-time MLA Jahanara Khan, who held onto the seat in the last two Assembly elections fending off the Trinamool Congress (TMC) onslaught.

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BJP President J P Nadda to hold all rallies in West Bengal virtually

BJP national president JP Nadda to hold all rallies virtually, keeping in view with #COVID19 protocol. He is also holding COVID-related meetings virtually with national & state office bearers. (ANI)

Mithun, Dilip Ghosh violated Covid-19 protocols, complaint filed: TMC leader

The TMC claimed on Saturday that BJP leaders Dilip Ghosh and actor Mithun Chakraborty have violated Covid-19 protocols by organising public meetings that were attended by more than 500 people, and said a complaint has been filed with the EC in the matter.

Senior TMC leader Saugata Roy told reporters here that Ghosh, the state BJP president, and Chakraborty, an actor-turned-politician, held public meetings at Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda districts respectively, with little or no regard for directions given by the EC amid the Covid-19 surge.

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Hindi-speaking people integral part of Bengal, 'outsider' barb not aimed at them: TMC's Vivek Gupta

Amid the raging 'insider- outsider' debate in poll-boundWestBengal, TMC's Hindi cell president and senior leader Vivek Gupta asserted that the 'outsider' barb is not directed at the Hindi-speaking residents as they happen to be an integral part of the state.

Gupta, a former Rajya Sabha MP, also clarified that the TMC has branded "goons coming from other states" as outsider or 'Bohiragato', and the party, during its campaigns, never targeted the non-Bengali population of the state. (PTI)

Ex-CPI(M) MLA who defeated Mamata Banerjee 32 years ago blames TMC supremo for rise of RSS in Bengal

Former CPI(M) MP Prof. Malini Bhattacharya, who had handed chief minister Mamata Banerjee, then a Congress candidate in the 1989-Lok Sabha elections from Jadavpur seat, her sole electoral defeat, does not feel the Trinamool Congress supremo is the face of the resistance to BJP, and believes her rule facilitated the rise of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the state.

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Election Commission, led by CEC Sushil Chandra & Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, today held meeting with senior officers of West Bengal including Chief Secretary, ACS(Home), Secretary (Disaster Management), Secretary (Health), DGP, CP Kolkata. CEO West Bengal was also present. (ANI)

EC observers ordering detention of TMC workers during polling hours: Mamata

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that the three special observers of the Election Commission were ordering police officers to detain TMC workers during the polling hours, asserting that she would move the Supreme Court against such a "conspiracy" after the elections.

Addressing party members at the Gitanjali auditorium in Bolpur in Birbhum district, Banerjee said that she can't be silenced even if she is show-caused.

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EC top brass reviews enforcement of Covid-19 guidelines during campaigning in Bengal

Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Saturday reviewed enforcement of Covid-19 guidelines during campaigning inWestBengalwhere two remaining phases of assembly elections are to take place next week.

A poll panel spokesperson said the EC top brass reviewed the enforcement of Covid-19 guidelines withWestBengalchief secretary, police chief, health secretary and Kolkata police commissioner. (PTI)

SC should've intervened during Bengal poll rallies: Shiv Sena

The Shiv Sena on Saturday said the Covid-19 situation in the county wouldn't have worsened had the Supreme Court taken timely cognisance of election rallies inWestBengaland the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.

The party's remarks come after the apex court's order asking the Centre for a national plan on oxygen supply and vaccination amid the pandemic. (PTI)

Odisha seals border with West Bengal

The Odisha government sealed its border with West Bengal where a triple mutant variant of COVID-19 has reportedly surfaced, and intensified vigil along the inter-state boundary, officials said.

The state government on Friday sealed the routes to the neighbouring state which pass through Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts, a senior official said. (PTI)

Shortage of oxygen becomes fresh bone of contention between Mamata and Centre

CM Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Centre was allotting oxygen produced by plants in Bengal to other states, jeopardizing the treatment of Covid-19 patients in Bengal.

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Would have taken part in Covid meeting between PM Modi, CMs had I been invited: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she would have participated in the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the chief ministers of states with the highest burden of Covid-19 cases, had she been invited.

Addressing a press conference, Banerjee said she heard that Friday's meeting on the Covid situation was meant for the worst-hit states, and hence she was not told about it.

Abhishek Banerjee to hold live session

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee will come live on social media today at 7 pm in a 'ask me anything' session.

Campaigning ended for the seventh phase of poll in West Bengal yesterday

Curtains came down on Friday over the campaigning for 34 assembly seats in West Bengal which are scheduled to go to the poll on April 26 in the seventh phase of election being held amidst the surge in coronavirus cases across the country.

The campaigning for the seventh phase ended 72 hours before the polling on April 26.

A total of 86,78,221 voters -- 44,44,634 male and 42,33,358 women and 229 from the third gender are eligible to exercise their franchise in the 34 constituencies spread across Malda (Part I), Kolkata Dakshin, Murshidabad (Part I), Paschim Bardhaman (Part 1) and Dakshin Dinajpur districts. (PTI)

Bengal asks Centre not to divert medical oxygen available in state

With the rising demand for medical oxygen due to the surge in the number of Covid-19 cases, the West Bengal government has written to the Centre urging it not to divert the life-saving gas which is available in the state, a senior official said on Friday.

The letter by the West Bengal health department followed the allotment of 200 MT of oxygen, from different plants located in West Bengal, to outside it by the Union ministry of health and family welfare. (PTI)

ECI Covid restrictions must be implemented: Calcutta HC

The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the competent authorities to make the people of West Bengal abide by the restrictions imposed by the Election Commission of India on public behaviour regarding protective protocol for Covid-19 in the state which has witnessed an alarming rise in infections.

Hearing PILs with regard to maintenance of Covid protocol during the ongoing assembly elections in the state in view of the recent surge in infections, the court directed the authorities to enforce masking, social distancing etc. (PTI)