diamond harbour

West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya sarcastically invited TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee to campaign in Falta ahead of the May 21 repoll, claiming the TMC has been 'sent into exile' by the state's people. Bhattacharya alleged the TMC leadership has disappeared following electoral setbacks and expressed confidence in BJP's victory, urging TMC workers to campaign freely.

Violence flared in South 24 Parganas during West Bengal repolling. Supporters of the BJP and TMC clashed. Allegations surfaced that voters were prevented from casting ballots. Security forces intervened to restore order. Repolling occurred in specific booths following reports of irregularities and EVM tampering. The Election Commission ordered fresh polling to ensure fair voting.

Repoll in 15 booths across South 24 Parganas saw an 86.9% voter turnout, lower than previous phases. Voters emphasized casting their ballots to ensure their votes were not wasted, with many traveling significant distances to participate. The administration ensured a peaceful and fair repoll, though matching previous turnout percentages remained a challenge for some officials.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has claimed to possess a list of properties linked to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's company, Leaps and Bounds, vowing a thorough investigation. This escalation follows an FIR against Banerjee for alleged inflammatory remarks, which TMC leader Tanmoy Ghosh decried as politically biased and selective, questioning the targeting of Banerjee post-election losses.

Repolling has been ordered in 15 South 24 Parganas booths for Saturday, May 2, following irregularities during Bengal's second phase polls. Concerns included disabled CCTV cameras and tampered EVMs. Special observers recommended repolling in several constituencies due to disturbing findings, with some booths in Falta reportedly seeing 100% turnout.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee challenged the BJP and Election Commission to contest from Falta after a repoll was announced due to "severe electoral offences." The Election Commission cited widespread tampering of EVMs and compromised integrity of recorded votes at multiple booths, leading to the decision for a fresh poll on May 21.

West Bengal government has downgraded MP Abhishek Banerjee's security cover from Z+ to standard MP protection. This decision follows a security review and comes after visible changes in security arrangements at Trinamool Congress leaders' residences post-election defeat. Banerjee's Z+ cover was initially granted in 2015.

In a bold move towards upholding justice, Bengal police stations are now open for complaints regarding police misconduct from the last five years, encompassing issues such as political violence and the harassment of women. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced this transformative policy shift, highlighting a commitment to the rule of law.

In a strategic shift, Kolkata Police has adjusted security measures for ten notable personalities, such as ex-DGPs, MPs, and former ministers. This decision, rooted in a newly evaluated threat landscape, results in some individuals losing their security personnel entirely, while others receive basic protection.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari targeted Trinamool's Jahangir Khan in Falta, a stronghold of Abhishek Banerjee, vowing to deal with the MLA accused of criminal activities. Adhikari also pledged to investigate alleged corruption, including the "Leaps and Bounds" company, and assured action against those siphoning funds from central schemes.

The Election Commission ordered a repoll in Falta constituency on May 21 due to alleged subversion of the democratic process, following BJP claims of EVM tampering. This decision comes amid heightened political tensions in the diamond harbour region. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court declined a TMC plea challenging the deployment of central government staff for vote counting.

Days after TMC's rout in the West Bengal, ED questioned the senior party leader Sujit Bose in connection with its investigation into the municipality recruitment ‘scam’ case. Bose had illegally recommended 150 candidates for different posts under the South Dum Dum Municipality in lieu of pecuniary benefits. ED has traced direct proceeds of crime in the form of flats acquired by him in lieu of providing municipality jobs to various persons.