West Bengal Assembly Elections Highlights: If BJP comes to power, travel will be made free for all women, pitches Amit Shah

Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh addressed rallies in Bengal. Rajnath Singh said that it was a Bengali (Syama Prasad Mukherjee) who founded BJP, attacking Mamata Banerjee's 'outsider' jibe. A video of BJP state president Dilip Ghosh apparently suggesting Mamata should wear bermuda shorts to display her injured leg has triggered controversy with the ruling TMC slamming it as a "distasteful comment" and women expressing outrage over the remark in social media. Stay tuned to DH for latest updates.

Modi pushes to win West Bengal against formidable opposition

The populous Indian state of West Bengal has emerged as a key battleground for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party, which is looking to extend its national domination and dislodge one of Modi's sharpest critics.

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No development in ten years, Mamata took West Bengal back to 19th century: Rajnath Singh

Accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of "taking back Bengal to the 19th century, with no development work undertaken in the past 10 years", Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the TMC dispensation, just like its predecessor, the Left Front, has wronged the people of the state.

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Mithun leads mega roadshows in poll-bound West Bengal

Bollywood superstar Mithun Chakraborty led two mega roadshows in the Jungle Mahal region of West Bengal in support of the BJP candidates.

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Campaign ends for first phase of poll in West Bengal

Curtains came down at 5 pm Thursday on the high decibel campaign in 30 assembly seats in West Bengal where polls are scheduled in the first phase on March 27.

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Bengal polls: BJP candidate gets EC notice for promising voters free trip to Ayodhya

BJP's Pandabeswar candidate Jitendra Tiwari was show-caused by the Election Commission for promising voters a free trip to the temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya if elected, officials said on Thursday.

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Bengal tops in Facebook political ad spend among poll-bound states

Among the four states and one union territory that are going to polls from March 27, West Bengal emerged as the topper in spending for political advertisements on Facebook this year, according to data available with the social media platform.

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Vote for PM Modi if you want schemes, for TMC if you prefer scams: Amit Shah in Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday lashed out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged corrupt practices of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) urging the people to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi if they want pro-people schemes and vote for TMC if they want scams.

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West Bengal polls: Parties bank on identity politics, promise of industrialisation in high-profile Nandigram seat

Identity politics and industrialisation have emerged as poll planks in West Bengals high-profile Nandigram seat, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will contest her former lieutenant and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari.

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Mamata Banerjee alleges BJP interfering in EC functioning

TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday charged the BJP with interfering in the functioning of the Election Commission.

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TMC stunted industrial growth of West Bengal: Yogi

West Bengalwas once an advanced and progressive state. But Congress, Left Front and then TMC stunted industrial growth of state and corruption blossomed: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath at a poll rally in Sagar in South 24 Parganas district

Even if EC transfers all West Bengal officers, TMC victory will not be prevented: CM Mamata Banerjee at Danton rally

If BJP comes to power, travel will be made free for all women: Shah

If BJP comes to power, travel will be made free for all women. From KG to PG, BJP will provide free education for women: Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah in Tamluk, East Midnapore

A woman showing her legs in a saree is inappropriate: Dilip Ghosh.

She is our CM, we expect her to act appropriately, befitting Bengal’s culture. A woman showing her legs in a saree is inappropriate. People are objecting. I found it objectionable so I spoke: WB BJP Chief Dilip Ghosh on his reported remark that CM Mamata Banerjee should wear bermuda shorts to show injured leg. (ANI)

Modiji wants elections to be for your welfare. Didi wants elections as a means to make her nephew the next Chief Minister. Do you want the nephew as your CM or development in Bengal?: Amit Shah in Baghmundi.

Didi wants to break the unity of Bengal by calling us 'outsiders'. She is forgetting that it was Syama Prasad Mukherjee, a Bengali, who formed BJP: Rajnath Singh.

After BJP comes to power, tribal mothers and sisters will travel in government transports for free: Amit Shah.

Didi needs to go to eradicate malaria, dengue. BJP will create new AIIMS in Jangalmahal: Amit Shah.

Doesn't the Chief Minister have a responsibility to protect any person of any caste, colour, religion or political party?: Rajnath Singh.

Mamata Didi, I want to tell you, politics should not be done only to form government, it should be done for the formation of politics-society, it should be done to form the country: Rajnath Singh.

Earlier in Bengal, Rabindra Sangeet, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's kirtan could be heard, Swami Vivekananda's words could be heard. Today, there is only the sound of bombs: Rajnath Singh.

I know you are facing a lot of difficulty. Didi threatens poor people, the tribal people. What is this khela hobe? BJP will end all these hooliganism in Bengal: Amit Shah.

When Didi came to power, she promised a number of things. Did she fulfill any of them? No: Amit Shah.

Immigrants are snatching your jobs. We will drive them out after forming government and give citizenship to those who deserve it: Amit Shah.

Every farmer in Bengal will get Rs 18,000 if BJP comes to power: Amit Shah.

Neither the Communists nor Didi have managed to provide employment for the people of Bengal: Amit Shah.

People do not get purified drinking water in Purulia. When we come to power, we will provide clean drinking water: Amit Shah.

Didi doesn't want development, that's why there is no railway expansion in Bengal. No highway expansion. No medical college. Now she is also afraid of the 'gerua': Amit Shah.

You form the BJP government on May 2. From May 3, we will provide health insurance of Rs 5 lakh to every family in Bengal: Amit Shah.

This time you decide whether you want a scheme led by Modiji or a scam led by Mamata Didi: Amit Shah.

At first, the industry was shut down during the Left Front's rule. Then TMC expelled the investors from Bengal. This time you decide whether you want a scam: Amit Shah.

The people of Purulia have to go to Kolkata to get good treatment. This time when the BJP government comes to power, we will build AIIMS here: Amit Shah.

West Bengal Assembly polls: Once Maoist den, Purulia looks to unshackle itself from poverty and neglect

The people of Purulia are desperately seeking development and industrialisation of this economically backward district to unshackle themselves from poverty and decades of neglect as another election knocks on their doors and political parties of all hues make promises galore.

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West Bengal Assembly polls: Firhad Hakim, Mamata Banerjee's trusted lieutenant and a key pillar of TMC

Firhad Hakim has been a long-standing ally of both the TMC and its chief Mamata Banerjee. Hakim, known as "Bobby da" by his supporters, became the first Muslim Mayor of Kolkata since Independence and is now contesting from the Port constituency.

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West Bengal Assembly election: Fearing split of anti-BJP votes, TMC eyes Left vote bank

In 2011, Mamata Banerjee overthrew a Left government in West Bengal, which had dominated the eastern state for over three decades. Now, Mamata Banerjee is seeking to retain power by pitching the TMC as the only party that can stop the BJP. This rhetoric is also aimed at tapping whatever is left of the Left's vote bank.

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Present BJP poles apart from the BJP I joined, Yashwant Sinha writes

A week after he joined the Trinamool Congress, former BJP veteran Yashwant Sinha said that the reason he left the saffron party was the 'Modi-Shah' duo and that the party is not the same as it were when he joined.

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Only those sent from other states to foment trouble in Bengal are outsiders for TMC: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) only considers those who are sent to Bengal from other states to create trouble as outsiders. She also said that those from other states who are living in Bengal for ages are considered as her “own people.”

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Want 'Dada' in BJP to clean bowl TMC: Ashok Dinda

Amid speculations that the BJP wants former India captain Sourav Ganguly to drive its fortunes in the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, his former teammate and the saffron party's nominee from Moyna seat, Ashok Dinda, feels that the BCCI president would "clean bowl" the ruling TMC if he makes the much-anticipated move of joining the BJP.

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Mamata Banerjee's assets decreased by 45.08% from 2016

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's asset value has decreased by 45.08 per cent now compared to what it was during the 2016 assembly elections. Banerjee, who is contesting this year's assembly election from Nandigram, has in her affidavit which was submitted along with her nomination to the Election Commission declared her total worth to be Rs 16,72,352.

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Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh's 'Wear Bermudas' remark for CM Mamata sparks outrage

A video of BJP state president Dilip Ghosh apparently suggesting West Bengal Chief Minister should wear bermuda shorts to display her injured leg has triggered controversy with the ruling TMC slamming it as a "distasteful comment" and women expressing outrage over the remark in social media.

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Good morning readers! It is the election season in India, and West Bengal is witnessing a high-octane battle this time. Want to get all the latest news of the election? Follow this blog and stay updated.