<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/after-ball-tampering-admission-smith-warner-step-down-as-captain-vice-captain-of-australian-cricket-team-37010">After ball-tampering admission, Smith, Warner step down as captain, vice-captain of Australian cricket team</a></p>

<p>Steve Smith has stepped down as the captain of the Australian cricket team following the ball-tampering saga that took place during the third day of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjps-win-in-up-rajya-sabha-polls-has-bolstered-sp-bsp-unity-akhilesh-yadav-37024">BJP&#39;s win in UP Rajya Sabha polls has bolstered SP-BSP unity: Akhilesh Yadav</a></p>

<p>The BJP may have wrested an extra seat in the recent Rajya Sabha polls but the victory will backfire on the saffron party as its &quot;anti-Dalit face stood exposed&quot; while the SP-BSP unity got strengthened, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav claimed today.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/up-10-persons-arrested-for-alleged-links-to-let-terror-funding-37016">UP: 10 persons arrested for alleged links to LeT, terror-funding</a></p>

<p>The Uttar Pradesh Police&#39;s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Sunday arrested 10 persons for alleged links to the terrroist outfit the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and allegedly involved in terror-funding activities at the behest of Pakistan.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/west-bengal-ram-navami-pandals-vandalised-bjp-accuses-tmc-37020">West Bengal: Ram Navami pandals vandalised, BJP accuses TMC</a></p>

<p>A Ram Navami pandal was vandalised on Saturday evening by unidentified miscreants in Bardhman district of West Bengal.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-problem-getting-naked-before-the-white-man-but-there-is-revolution-when-govt-asks-for-address-minister-37008">No problem getting naked before white man but revolution when </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-problem-getting-naked-before-the-white-man-but-there-is-revolution-when-govt-asks-for-address-minister-37008">government</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-problem-getting-naked-before-the-white-man-but-there-is-revolution-when-govt-asks-for-address-minister-37008"> asks for name, address: Union Minister&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>Union Minister of State for Tourism and IT K J Alphons on Saturday said that Indians absolutely have no problem giving fingerprints and getting body naked before the white man at all.</p>


After ball-tampering admission, Smith, Warner step down as captain, vice-captain of Australian cricket team Steve Smith has stepped down as the captain of the Australian cricket team following the ball-tampering saga that took place during the third day of the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday. BJP's win in UP Rajya Sabha polls has bolstered SP-BSP unity: Akhilesh Yadav The BJP may have wrested an extra seat in the recent Rajya Sabha polls but the victory will backfire on the saffron party as its "anti-Dalit face stood exposed" while the SP-BSP unity got strengthened, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav claimed today. UP: 10 persons arrested for alleged links to LeT, terror-funding The Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Sunday arrested 10 persons for alleged links to the terrroist outfit the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and allegedly involved in terror-funding activities at the behest of Pakistan. West Bengal: Ram Navami pandals vandalised, BJP accuses TMC A Ram Navami pandal was vandalised on Saturday evening by unidentified miscreants in Bardhman district of West Bengal. No problem getting naked before white man but revolution when government asks for name, address: Union Minister Union Minister of State for Tourism and IT K J Alphons on Saturday said that Indians absolutely have no problem giving fingerprints and getting body naked before the white man at all.

WION evening news brief, March 25, 2018

<p>Congress has decided to stay away from the &lsquo;Third Front&rsquo; experiment mooted by some regional parties, including Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and TRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) are making efforts to stitch together a &#39;non-Congress, non-BJP&#39; front bringing together like-minded parties.</p>

<p>But sources in the Congress say that such talks are a result of West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee nursing prime ministerial ambitions, and TRS president KCR trying to fight the heat of incumbency in his state.</p>

<p>Many senior leaders in the Congress are of the opinion that most of the regional leaders will come around by election time but Congress cannot become a casualty of a tie-up where its organisation is further impacted.</p>

<p>&quot;Everyone is free to pursue their agenda and ambition. KCR for four years considered Modi as the only leader and aligned with him. Now Congress has put heat on him and his party is taking a nose dive so he wants to create an alternative,&quot; Congress leader Randeep Surjewala told WION.</p>

<p>Though it targets KCR, Congress officially remains diplomatic on Mamata and maintains that both parties will resolve their differences to come together on issues of national importance.</p>

<p>However, Mamata and KCR have received support from regional players. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi told WION that since Congress has not taken the initiative, other parties are filling the vacuum. Even DMK has been contacted on this issue which has decided to discuss the proposal.</p>

<p>Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi spoke to KCR over phone on Monday and expressed support for the plan to float a Third Front-like formation. Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has also extended support to the proposal.</p>

<p>Congress, for now, is focussing on nourishing the organisation amid fears that the party will wither away completely after humiliating losses in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland assembly elections. It is for this reason that Congress has kept away from joining the SP-BSP combine to fight the Phoolpur and Gorakhpur bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.</p>

<p>&quot;Parties are free to contest but we will not withdraw our candidates from the fray,&quot; Surjewala said.</p>

<p>The idea, sources say, is to have a front which is led by the Grand Old Party. And Sonia Gandhi&#39;s invitation to leaders of opposition parties for a dinner on March 13 points to that, they say.</p>

<p>Several leaders have confirmed their attendance, a Congress leader said, declining to go into spcifics. However, he said Sonia Gandhi is keen to have all top opposition party leaders, including Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who is yet to confirm.</p>


TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and TRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao are making efforts to stitch together a 'non-Congress, non-BJP' front bringing together like-minded parties

Congress has decided to stay away from the ‘Third Front’ experiment mooted by some regional parties, including Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and TRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) are making efforts to stitch together a 'non-Congress, non-BJP' front bringing together like-minded parties. But sources in the Congress say that such talks are a result of West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee nursing prime ministerial ambitions, and TRS president KCR trying to fight the heat of incumbency in his state. Many senior leaders in the Congress are of the opinion that most of the regional leaders will come around by election time but Congress cannot become a casualty of a tie-up where its organisation is further impacted. "Everyone is free to pursue their agenda and ambition. KCR for four years considered Modi as the only leader and aligned with him. Now Congress has put heat on him and his party is taking a nose dive so he wants to create an alternative," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala told WION. Though it targets KCR, Congress officially remains diplomatic on Mamata and maintains that both parties will resolve their differences to come together on issues of national importance. However, Mamata and KCR have received support from regional players. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi told WION that since Congress has not taken the initiative, other parties are filling the vacuum. Even DMK has been contacted on this issue which has decided to discuss the proposal. Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi spoke to KCR over phone on Monday and expressed support for the plan to float a Third Front-like formation. Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has also extended support to the proposal. Congress, for now, is focussing on nourishing the organisation amid fears that the party will wither away completely after humiliating losses in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland assembly elections. It is for this reason that Congress has kept away from joining the SP-BSP combine to fight the Phoolpur and Gorakhpur bypolls in Uttar Pradesh. "Parties are free to contest but we will not withdraw our candidates from the fray," Surjewala said. The idea, sources say, is to have a front which is led by the Grand Old Party. And Sonia Gandhi's invitation to leaders of opposition parties for a dinner on March 13 points to that, they say. Several leaders have confirmed their attendance, a Congress leader said, declining to go into spcifics. However, he said Sonia Gandhi is keen to have all top opposition party leaders, including Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who is yet to confirm.

Congress cold-shoulders idea of 'Third Front'

<p>All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O&#39;Brien on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not remain Prime Minister when the time came for him to deliver his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort in 2019.</p>

<p>The Trinamool leader challenged PM Modi and said that if the BJP was aiming at coming to power in Bengal, then the BJP&#39;s target was the Red Fort, the place from where PM Modi delivers his Independence Day speech.</p>

<p>&quot;First tackle 2019 and then imagine about Bengal. This is our clear message to the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). If their target is Bengal, then our target is Lal Qila (Red Fort). I make it clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not deliver his address from Lal Qila on the Independence Day in 2019,&quot; O&#39;Brien said while addressing the media on Sunday.</p>

<p>Derek O&#39;Brien&#39;s remarks came a day after the BJP sweeped Tripura, and for the first time won more than 10 seats in Nagaland.</p>

<p>Challenging the prime minister, Derek O&#39;Brien asked all the opposition parties to come together.</p>

<p>The TMC leader also highlighted the party&#39;s poor show in the Rajasthan Lok Sabha bypolls.</p>

<p>&quot;The results of the bypolls in Rajasthan came out only 15 days ago. It included Alwar seat where the BJP won by a margin of 2.80 lakh votes in 2014. But this time the BJP&#39;s margin of 2.80 lakh votes has gone down to minus 1.50 lakh,&quot; said the TMC leader.</p>

<p>On Saturday, the BJP ended the CPI(M)&#39;s 25-year-long rule in Tripura and registered their first win in the northeastern state by winning 35 seats out of 60. The left party won only 16 seats.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Trinamool leader challenged PM Modi and said that if the BJP was aiming at coming to power in Bengal, then the BJP's target was the Red Fort, the place from where PM Modi delivers his Independence Day speech.

All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O'Brien on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not remain Prime Minister when the time came for him to deliver his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort in 2019. The Trinamool leader challenged PM Modi and said that if the BJP was aiming at coming to power in Bengal, then the BJP's target was the Red Fort, the place from where PM Modi delivers his Independence Day speech. "First tackle 2019 and then imagine about Bengal. This is our clear message to the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). If their target is Bengal, then our target is Lal Qila (Red Fort). I make it clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not deliver his address from Lal Qila on the Independence Day in 2019," O'Brien said while addressing the media on Sunday. Derek O'Brien's remarks came a day after the BJP sweeped Tripura, and for the first time won more than 10 seats in Nagaland. Challenging the prime minister, Derek O'Brien asked all the opposition parties to come together. The TMC leader also highlighted the party's poor show in the Rajasthan Lok Sabha bypolls. "The results of the bypolls in Rajasthan came out only 15 days ago. It included Alwar seat where the BJP won by a margin of 2.80 lakh votes in 2014. But this time the BJP's margin of 2.80 lakh votes has gone down to minus 1.50 lakh," said the TMC leader. On Saturday, the BJP ended the CPI(M)'s 25-year-long rule in Tripura and registered their first win in the northeastern state by winning 35 seats out of 60. The left party won only 16 seats.

Narendra Modi won't remain PM in 2019, claims TMC leader

<p>The Congress on Thursday won an assembly seat in Rajasthan and had a major victory in two <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bypoll-results-31475">parliamentary </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bypoll-results-31475">bypolls</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bypoll-results-31475">.&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>The Congress is ready to take the Ajmer and Alwar parliamentary seats from the BJP and has won the Mandalgarh assembly segment, also held by the BJP.</p>

<p>Congress president Rahul Gandhi hailed the party&rsquo;s Rajasthan unit for its impressive show in the bypolls for two Lok Sabha and one Assembly seats, calling the outcome a &ldquo;rejection&rdquo; of the BJP by the people.</p>

<p>&quot;Well done Rajasthan Congress! Proud of each and every one of you. This is a rejection of the BJP by the people of Rajasthan,&quot; tweeted Congress president Rahul Gandhi.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Well done Rajasthan Congress! Proud of each and every one of you. This is a rejection of the BJP by the people of Rajasthan.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanByPolls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanByPolls</a></p>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/959017563572359168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The ruling BJP on Thursday conceded defeat in Rajasthan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;We respect the people&rsquo;s mandate and we will analyse the reasons for our defeat. I am taking responsibility for the defeat,&rdquo; Rajasthan BJP chief Ashok Parnami said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We are going to study the reasons, but bypolls don&#39;t reflect the full picture,&quot; said BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya also said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>All three seats are linked to Rahul Gandhi&#39;s top lieutenants in Rajasthan - Pilot, CP Joshi and Jitendra Singh Bhanwar.</p>

<p>All the three seats fell vacant after the deaths of Ajmer MP Sanwar Lal Jat, Alwar MP Chand Nath and Mandalgarh MLA Kirti Kumari.</p>


The Congress is ready to take the Ajmer and Alwar parliamentary seats from the BJP and has won the Mandalgarh assembly segment, also held by the BJP

The Congress on Thursday won an assembly seat in Rajasthan and had a major victory in two parliamentary bypolls. The Congress is ready to take the Ajmer and Alwar parliamentary seats from the BJP and has won the Mandalgarh assembly segment, also held by the BJP. Congress president Rahul Gandhi hailed the party’s Rajasthan unit for its impressive show in the bypolls for two Lok Sabha and one Assembly seats, calling the outcome a “rejection” of the BJP by the people. "Well done Rajasthan Congress! Proud of each and every one of you. This is a rejection of the BJP by the people of Rajasthan," tweeted Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Well done Rajasthan Congress! Proud of each and every one of you. This is a rejection of the BJP by the people of Rajasthan.#RajasthanByPolls — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) February 1, 2018 × The ruling BJP on Thursday conceded defeat in Rajasthan. “We respect the people’s mandate and we will analyse the reasons for our defeat. I am taking responsibility for the defeat,” Rajasthan BJP chief Ashok Parnami said. "We are going to study the reasons, but bypolls don't reflect the full picture," said BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya also said. All three seats are linked to Rahul Gandhi's top lieutenants in Rajasthan - Pilot, CP Joshi and Jitendra Singh Bhanwar. All the three seats fell vacant after the deaths of Ajmer MP Sanwar Lal Jat, Alwar MP Chand Nath and Mandalgarh MLA Kirti Kumari.

Bypoll results: Congress sweeps Rajasthan, setback for Raje's BJP

<p>Counting of votes for the by-polls of three Lok Sabha and two Assembly seats in Rajasthan and West Bengal began today.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After completion of 80 per cent of counting in Alwar congress has maintained a lead of over 1.40 lakh votes and is winning in Ajmer as well with a margin of 80,204 votes.</p>

<p>In a big jolt to the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government,&nbsp;Congress&nbsp;candidate Vivek Dhakad on Thursday won the Mandalgarh Assembly seat by 12976 votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to congratulate fellow leaders Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot for their victory in the Rajasthan&nbsp;bypolls&nbsp;on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Forget trends now,<br />
<br />
We <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@INCIndia</a> have won all 3 seats , done and dusted!<br />
<br />
Let me take this opportunity to congratulate <a href="https://twitter.com/SachinPilot?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SachinPilot</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ashokgehlot51?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashokgehlot51</a> and every congress worker and every proud Rajasthani to believe in congress &lsquo; ideology.<br />
<br />
Big thanks ????????????????<br />
<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanByPolls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanByPolls</a></p>
&mdash; Office of RG (@0ffice0ffRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/0ffice0ffRG/status/958963108332163072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>TMC&#39;s Sunil Singh has won the Naopara assembly seat in West Bengal with 1,11,729 votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;Singh said, &ldquo;It is a great win and it shows people&rsquo;s faith in TMC. I will now work for the people. There was a rumour that former TMC leader and now a BJP leader&nbsp;Mukul Roy&nbsp;would be a factor in Noapara seat but he could not make a difference in reality.&rdquo;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Initial trends from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanByPolls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanByPolls</a> are a mandate against the Govt, I hope our leads will increase even more. Vasundhara ji and her Govt have been totally rejected by people: Sachin Pilot,Congress <a href="https://t.co/UyW82Vhfvt">pic.twitter.com/UyW82Vhfvt</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/958929143130984448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;Meanwhile, many prominent figures took to Twitter to congratulate the winning party.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The real headline of the day is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanByPolls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanByPolls</a> . Sorry Mr Jaitley, but your <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jumlanomics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jumlanomics</a> is totally overshadowed. India has had enough of manipulated headlines. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Budget2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Budget2018</a></p>
&mdash; Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) <a href="https://twitter.com/JhaSanjay/status/958948646107648000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The sacrifice of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Padmaavat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Padmaavat</a>&#39;s &quot;i&quot; didn&#39;t go in vain ????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanByPolls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanByPolls</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanBypollsResult?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanBypollsResult</a></p>
&mdash; Shirish Kunder (@ShirishKunder) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShirishKunder/status/958975784219303936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Big day for Congress. Looks set to take away BJP seats of Alwar and Ajmer. And now started leading in Mandalgarh assembly constituency too. Big message for BJP Govt. <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNnews18?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CNNnews18</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanByPolls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanByPolls</a></p>
&mdash; Arunoday Mukharji (@ArunodayM) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArunodayM/status/958937704942551040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The truth is staring in the faces of the BJP...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Congress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Congress</a> leading in all the 3 seats in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanByPolls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanByPolls</a>..people learn from their mistakes..choosing BJP was a mistake.. <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficeOfRG</a> is the only compassionate leader with a large heart to lead the country..</p>
&mdash; khushbusundar (@khushsundar) <a href="https://twitter.com/khushsundar/status/958926828508360704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


The polling in all the constituencies took place on Monda

Counting of votes for the by-polls of three Lok Sabha and two Assembly seats in Rajasthan and West Bengal began today. After completion of 80 per cent of counting in Alwar congress has maintained a lead of over 1.40 lakh votes and is winning in Ajmer as well with a margin of 80,204 votes. In a big jolt to the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government, Congress candidate Vivek Dhakad on Thursday won the Mandalgarh Assembly seat by 12976 votes. Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to congratulate fellow leaders Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot for their victory in the Rajasthan bypolls on Thursday. Forget trends now, We @INCIndia have won all 3 seats , done and dusted! Let me take this opportunity to congratulate @SachinPilot @ashokgehlot51 and every congress worker and every proud Rajasthani to believe in congress ‘ ideology. Big thanks ???????????????? #RajasthanByPolls — Office of RG (@0ffice0ffRG) February 1, 2018 × TMC's Sunil Singh has won the Naopara assembly seat in West Bengal with 1,11,729 votes. Singh said, “It is a great win and it shows people’s faith in TMC. I will now work for the people. There was a rumour that former TMC leader and now a BJP leader Mukul Roy would be a factor in Noapara seat but he could not make a difference in reality.” Initial trends from #RajasthanByPolls are a mandate against the Govt, I hope our leads will increase even more. Vasundhara ji and her Govt have been totally rejected by people: Sachin Pilot,Congress pic.twitter.com/UyW82Vhfvt — ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2018 × Meanwhile, many prominent figures took to Twitter to congratulate the winning party. The real headline of the day is #RajasthanByPolls . Sorry Mr Jaitley, but your #Jumlanomics is totally overshadowed. India has had enough of manipulated headlines. #Budget2018 — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) February 1, 2018 × The sacrifice of #Padmaavat's "i" didn't go in vain ????#RajasthanByPolls #RajasthanBypollsResult — Shirish Kunder (@ShirishKunder) February 1, 2018 × Big day for Congress. Looks set to take away BJP seats of Alwar and Ajmer. And now started leading in Mandalgarh assembly constituency too. Big message for BJP Govt. @CNNnews18 #RajasthanByPolls — Arunoday Mukharji (@ArunodayM) February 1, 2018 × The truth is staring in the faces of the BJP...#Congress leading in all the 3 seats in #RajasthanByPolls..people learn from their mistakes..choosing BJP was a mistake.. @OfficeOfRG is the only compassionate leader with a large heart to lead the country.. — khushbusundar (@khushsundar) February 1, 2018 ×

Bypoll results: Forget trends now, we have won all 3 seats, done and dusted, says Rahul Gandhi

<p>Congress has taken a massive leap and grabbed Mandalgarh Assembly seat and is now on a path to take over Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bypoll-results-tmc-wins-naopara-assembly-in-west-bengal-congress-leads-in-ajmer-alwar-31424">Rajasthan </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bypoll-results-tmc-wins-naopara-assembly-in-west-bengal-congress-leads-in-ajmer-alwar-31424">bypolls</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bypoll-results-tmc-wins-naopara-assembly-in-west-bengal-congress-leads-in-ajmer-alwar-31424">.&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>Congress is on the verge of winning the Alwar bypoll as after 90 per cent of counting of votes, Congress is leading with a massive margin of over 1.6 lakh votes. BJP could only manage 4,42,502 votes.</p>

<p>Trinamool candidate Sajda Ahmed wins Uluberia Lok Sabha constituency and defeated BJP candidate Anupam Mallick by 4,74,023.</p>

<p>The BJP meanwhile emerged second in both the seats pushing Left Front to the third position. In Uluberia, BJP received 1,68,805 votes while CPM bagged 85,244 votes. In Noapara, BJP registered 38,711 votes while CPM managed to get 35,497 votes. The Congress meanwhile came fourth in both the seats and lost its deposits.</p>

<p>Congress&#39;s Karan Singh wins Alwar Lok Sabha constituency seat and defeated BJP&#39;s Jaswant Yadav by 1,56,319 votes.</p>

<p>The Trinamool Congress under&nbsp;Mamata Banerjee has won West Bengal&#39;s Naopara seat and is maintaining a steady lead in Ulluberia constituency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, BJP has been lagging behind in Rajasthan but still running close in West Bengal relegating the Left Front to third and Congress to the fourth position.</p>

<p>The counting of votes for the Rajasthan bypolls in two Lok Sabha and one assembly constituency &mdash; a crucial contest ahead of the state elections due later this year &mdash; began at 8am on Thursday.</p>


The polling in all the constituencies took place on Monday

Congress has taken a massive leap and grabbed Mandalgarh Assembly seat and is now on a path to take over Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha in Rajasthan bypolls. Congress is on the verge of winning the Alwar bypoll as after 90 per cent of counting of votes, Congress is leading with a massive margin of over 1.6 lakh votes. BJP could only manage 4,42,502 votes. Trinamool candidate Sajda Ahmed wins Uluberia Lok Sabha constituency and defeated BJP candidate Anupam Mallick by 4,74,023. The BJP meanwhile emerged second in both the seats pushing Left Front to the third position. In Uluberia, BJP received 1,68,805 votes while CPM bagged 85,244 votes. In Noapara, BJP registered 38,711 votes while CPM managed to get 35,497 votes. The Congress meanwhile came fourth in both the seats and lost its deposits. Congress's Karan Singh wins Alwar Lok Sabha constituency seat and defeated BJP's Jaswant Yadav by 1,56,319 votes. The Trinamool Congress under Mamata Banerjee has won West Bengal's Naopara seat and is maintaining a steady lead in Ulluberia constituency. However, BJP has been lagging behind in Rajasthan but still running close in West Bengal relegating the Left Front to third and Congress to the fourth position. The counting of votes for the Rajasthan bypolls in two Lok Sabha and one assembly constituency — a crucial contest ahead of the state elections due later this year — began at 8am on Thursday.

Rajasthan, West Bengal bypolls: More wins for Congress, TMC

<p>TMC&#39;s Sunil Singh has won the Naopara assembly seat in West Bengal with 1,11,729 votes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanByPolls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanByPolls</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a>: Congress leading in Ajmer Lok Sabha by 45321 votes, in Alwar Lok Sabha by 72101 votes and in Mandalgarh assembly by 11136 votes</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/958967791150878720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Congress&#39;s Vivek Dhakad has won Mandalgarh assembly seat by 12976 votes.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajasthanByPolls?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajasthanByPolls</a> : Congress&#39;s Vivek Dhakad has won Mandalgarh assembly seat by 12976 votes</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/958970906839277568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>As of now, the Congress leads in Ajmer and Alwar parliamentary seats in Rajasthan. TMC leads in West Bengal&#39;s&nbsp;Uluberia.</p>

<p>The counting began at 8 am today amid tight security.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Naopara assembly seat by-poll: TMC candidate Sunil Singh wins with 1,11,729 votes</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/958933052180312064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to reports, Congress&#39; Karan Singh Yadav was leading by 61,500 votes over BJP&#39;s Jaswant Yadav in Alwar.</p>

<p>In Ajmer, Congress&#39;s Raghu Sharma was ahead of BJP&#39;s Ram Swaroop Lamba by 3,398 votes, they said.</p>

<p>In Mandalgarh, BJP candidate Shakti Singh Hada was ahead of independent candidate Gopal Malviya by over 3,000 votes. Congress&#39; Vivek Dhakad was trailing.</p>

<p>Chief Election Officer Ashwani Bhagat said the results would be declared before noon.</p>

<p>The polling in all the constituencies took place on Monday.</p>

<p>The election was held for Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats and Mandalgarh Assembly constituency in Rajasthan.</p>

<p>All the three seats fell vacant after the death of Ajmer MP Sanwar Lal Jat, Alwar MP Chand Nath and Mandalgarh MLA Kirti Kumari, who all were from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).</p>

<p>While in West Bengal, by-polls were held for Uluberia Lok Sabha Constituency in Howrah district and Noapara Assembly Seat in North 24 Parganas.</p>

<p>The election was necessitated due to the death of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sultan Ahmed and the Congress party MLA Madhusudan Ghosh.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


TMC's Sunil Singh has won the Naopara assembly seat in West Bengal by 1,11,729 votes

TMC's Sunil Singh has won the Naopara assembly seat in West Bengal with 1,11,729 votes. #RajasthanByPolls #UPDATE: Congress leading in Ajmer Lok Sabha by 45321 votes, in Alwar Lok Sabha by 72101 votes and in Mandalgarh assembly by 11136 votes — ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2018 × Congress's Vivek Dhakad has won Mandalgarh assembly seat by 12976 votes. #RajasthanByPolls : Congress's Vivek Dhakad has won Mandalgarh assembly seat by 12976 votes — ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2018 × As of now, the Congress leads in Ajmer and Alwar parliamentary seats in Rajasthan. TMC leads in West Bengal's Uluberia. The counting began at 8 am today amid tight security. Naopara assembly seat by-poll: TMC candidate Sunil Singh wins with 1,11,729 votes — ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2018 × According to reports, Congress' Karan Singh Yadav was leading by 61,500 votes over BJP's Jaswant Yadav in Alwar. In Ajmer, Congress's Raghu Sharma was ahead of BJP's Ram Swaroop Lamba by 3,398 votes, they said. In Mandalgarh, BJP candidate Shakti Singh Hada was ahead of independent candidate Gopal Malviya by over 3,000 votes. Congress' Vivek Dhakad was trailing. Chief Election Officer Ashwani Bhagat said the results would be declared before noon. The polling in all the constituencies took place on Monday. The election was held for Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats and Mandalgarh Assembly constituency in Rajasthan. All the three seats fell vacant after the death of Ajmer MP Sanwar Lal Jat, Alwar MP Chand Nath and Mandalgarh MLA Kirti Kumari, who all were from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While in West Bengal, by-polls were held for Uluberia Lok Sabha Constituency in Howrah district and Noapara Assembly Seat in North 24 Parganas. The election was necessitated due to the death of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sultan Ahmed and the Congress party MLA Madhusudan Ghosh. (With inputs from agencies)

Bypoll results: Congress wins in Mandalgarh, Rajasthan; TMC leads in West Bengal

<p>The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has won the Sabang Assembly constituency bypoll.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Trinamool candidate&nbsp;Gita Rani Bhunaia won by a margin of 64,192 votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate Rita Mondal secured 41,987 votes, losing out to Gita Rani Bhunaia who secured 1,06,179 votes.</p>

<p>Though the BJP candidate secured only 37,476 votes, the party acquired a substantial increase in the number of votes in this election.</p>

<p>The BJP received about 5,000 votes in the 2016 Assembly elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted expressing his happiness on the significant rise in the BJPs vote share in Sabang.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happy to see a significant rise in the BJP&rsquo;s vote share in Sabang, West Bengal. I thank the people for their support and assure them that BJP will leave no stone unturned in serving West Bengal. I appreciate the <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4Bengal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJP4Bengal</a> Karyakartas for their effort.</p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/944918455362371586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The bypoll&nbsp;results&nbsp;made a major dent on the Congress party as&nbsp;it lost the seat it had won in the 2016 Assembly polls. Congress candidate Chiranjib Bhowmick secured only 18,060 votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Secretary-General of the winning party said that the people voted for them because of the development they carried.</p>

<p>The opposition CPI(M) party has accused the winning party of indulging in a&nbsp;massive rigging.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Antara Bhattacharyya, the BJP candidate in the election has also accused that the elections were not &quot;free and fair&quot;.</p>

<p>The bypolls in the constituency were conducted after sitting Congress legislator Manas Bhunia resigned and moved over to the Trinamool Congress.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trinamool candidate Gita Rani is Manas Bhunia`s wife.</p>


The Trinamool candidate won by a margin of 64,192 votes

The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has won the Sabang Assembly constituency bypoll. The Trinamool candidate Gita Rani Bhunaia won by a margin of 64,192 votes. Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate Rita Mondal secured 41,987 votes, losing out to Gita Rani Bhunaia who secured 1,06,179 votes. Though the BJP candidate secured only 37,476 votes, the party acquired a substantial increase in the number of votes in this election. The BJP received about 5,000 votes in the 2016 Assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted expressing his happiness on the significant rise in the BJPs vote share in Sabang. Happy to see a significant rise in the BJP’s vote share in Sabang, West Bengal. I thank the people for their support and assure them that BJP will leave no stone unturned in serving West Bengal. I appreciate the @BJP4Bengal Karyakartas for their effort. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2017 × The bypoll results made a major dent on the Congress party as it lost the seat it had won in the 2016 Assembly polls. Congress candidate Chiranjib Bhowmick secured only 18,060 votes. The Secretary-General of the winning party said that the people voted for them because of the development they carried. The opposition CPI(M) party has accused the winning party of indulging in a massive rigging. Antara Bhattacharyya, the BJP candidate in the election has also accused that the elections were not "free and fair". The bypolls in the constituency were conducted after sitting Congress legislator Manas Bhunia resigned and moved over to the Trinamool Congress. Trinamool candidate Gita Rani is Manas Bhunia`s wife.

West Bengal by-polls: Congress loses Sabang assembly seat to Trinamool Congress

<p>Ex-Trinamool Congress(TMC) <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/senior-tmc-leader-mukul-roy-quits-party-amid-reports-of-likely-crossover-to-bjp-20596">leader Mukul Roy joined the BJP on Friday, just over a month after leaving</a>&nbsp;West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee&#39;s party.</p>

<p>Once a close aide of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/mukul-roy-resigns-as-tmc-mp-gives-up-rajya-sabha-membership-21287">Mamata, the former Railway </a>minister joined the BJP in presence of Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.</p>

<p>Trinamool Congress had&nbsp;suspended Mukul Roy for six years after he&nbsp;announced his decision to quit the party amid reports that he was planning to join the BJP.</p>

<p>Roy had resigned from the Rajya Sabha last month.</p>

<p>There was widespread speculation in the corridors of power in Delhi that the former TMC heavyweight was set to join the party. In fact, he was said to be meeting BJP leaders secretly.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Former Railway minister Mukul Roy was once a close aide of Mamta Banerjee

Ex-Trinamool Congress(TMC) leader Mukul Roy joined the BJP on Friday, just over a month after leaving West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's party. Once a close aide of Mamata, the former Railway minister joined the BJP in presence of Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya. Trinamool Congress had suspended Mukul Roy for six years after he announced his decision to quit the party amid reports that he was planning to join the BJP. Roy had resigned from the Rajya Sabha last month. There was widespread speculation in the corridors of power in Delhi that the former TMC heavyweight was set to join the party. In fact, he was said to be meeting BJP leaders secretly.

Former TMC leader Mukul Roy joins BJP

<p>Mukul Roy has resigned&nbsp;as Trinamool Congress(TMC)&nbsp;MP and given up his Rajya Sabha membership, reports said.</p>

<p>&quot;Today I am resigning from Rajya Sabha membership elected as a member of TMC, also resigning from all posts of TMC as a primary member,&quot;&nbsp;Mukul Roy said.</p>

<p>Last month, Trinamool Congress had suspended Mukul Roy for six years after the senior party leader had announced his decision to quit the party amid reports that he was planning to join the BJP.</p>

<p>&quot;The day CBI went after him, he realised that other than BJP he has no respite,&quot; TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said on Mukul Roy&#39;s resignation.</p>

<p>The former TMC heavyweight had met senior BJP leaders fuelling speculation that he was getting close to the party.</p>

<p>Talking to reporters later, Mukul Roy had said TMC would not have tasted success without the backing of the BJP at the national level in its initial years.</p>

<p>&quot;Back then, no one called it (BJP) a communal party. Then how come, all of a sudden, you (TMC) change your stand?&quot; Roy had told reporters.</p>

<p>&quot;It was the alliance with the BJP which helped the TMC to taste success in its initial years, be it the 1998 or 1999 Lok Sabha polls,&quot; he asserted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>: Mukul Roy submits his resignation from Rajya Sabha as TMC MP, to Vice President and RS Chairman Venkaiah Naidu <a href="https://t.co/qZ9GwA6pDv">pic.twitter.com/qZ9GwA6pDv</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/918061037873594368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Mukul Roy&#39;s Rajya Sabha resignation letter. (Others)</p>
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Mukul Roy had said TMC would not have tasted success without the backing of the BJP at the national level in its initial years.

Mukul Roy has resigned as Trinamool Congress(TMC) MP and given up his Rajya Sabha membership, reports said. "Today I am resigning from Rajya Sabha membership elected as a member of TMC, also resigning from all posts of TMC as a primary member," Mukul Roy said. Last month, Trinamool Congress had suspended Mukul Roy for six years after the senior party leader had announced his decision to quit the party amid reports that he was planning to join the BJP. "The day CBI went after him, he realised that other than BJP he has no respite," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said on Mukul Roy's resignation. The former TMC heavyweight had met senior BJP leaders fuelling speculation that he was getting close to the party. Talking to reporters later, Mukul Roy had said TMC would not have tasted success without the backing of the BJP at the national level in its initial years. "Back then, no one called it (BJP) a communal party. Then how come, all of a sudden, you (TMC) change your stand?" Roy had told reporters. "It was the alliance with the BJP which helped the TMC to taste success in its initial years, be it the 1998 or 1999 Lok Sabha polls," he asserted. #Delhi: Mukul Roy submits his resignation from Rajya Sabha as TMC MP, to Vice President and RS Chairman Venkaiah Naidu pic.twitter.com/qZ9GwA6pDv — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2017 × Mukul Roy's Rajya Sabha resignation letter. (Others) ×

Mukul Roy resigns as TMC MP, gives up Rajya Sabha membership

<p>The Trinamool Congress swept today the municipal polls in West Bengal capturing all the seven civic bodies while the BJP finished second in most places relegating the Left to the third position.<br />
<br />
The BJP won six seats in three municipalities which included four in Dhupguri in north Bengal and one each in Buniyadpur (north Bengal) and Panskura in south Bengal, according to the results of the August 13 civic elections.<br />
<br />
The TMC bagged also seats in Panskura and Haldia in East Midnapore district, Nalhati in Birbhum, Buniyadpur in South Dinajpur and Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri districts.<br />
<br />
The party also registered a massive victory in Durgapur Municipal Corporation in Burdwan West district capturing all the 43 wards, besides Cooper&#39;s Camp where it won all the 12 seats.<br />
<br />
In Haldia municipality also, the TMC got elected in all the 29 seats, according to the results declared today.<br />
<br />
The election results were indicative of a paradigm shift in the state politics with the BJP emerging as the main challenger to the TMC, according to poll watchers.<br />
<br />
The Left put up a poor show with the Forward Bloc, a front partner, winning a seat in Nalhati municipality.<br />
<br />
The Congress failed to win even a single seat in the polls.<br />
<br />
In Haldia municipality, once considered as a Left bastion, the TMC won all the 29 wards securing more than 50 per cent of the total votes polled.<br />
<br />
Of the 16 seats in Dhupguri municipality in north Bengal, the TMC won 12 seats while the BJP captured four.<br />
<br />
Out of the 14 wards in Buniyadpur, also in north Bengal, the TMC won 13 wards and the BJP bagged one seat.<br />
<br />
In Nalhati municipality, the TMC won 14 of the 16 wards, while the Left Front and an independent candidate won one ward each.<br />
<br />
In 18-member Panskura municipality, the TMC won 17 wards and the BJP managed to secure one ward.<br />
<br />
The TMC also won the by-election in a ward in Jhargram municipality.<br />
<br />
&quot;The results are a reflection of people&#39;s faith in the TMC government and a befitting reply to the canards spread against us,&quot; TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said, reacting to the outcome of the civic polls.<br />
<br />
On the BJP&#39;s performance, senior TMC leader Gautam Deb said, &quot;The Left Front has shifted its vote to the BJP. The vote share of the TMC is intact, rather we have increased our vote share. I<br />
<br />
&quot;It is the Left which is having a tacit understanding with the BJP,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh, however, said, &quot;We all know that the TMC used money and muscle power to win the elections. We have seen how democracy was subverted by the TMC.<br />
<br />
&quot;In spite of a reign of terror, we have managed to win seats and come up to the second position,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
The opposition called the civic election results a &quot;farce&quot;, with the Congress and the Left stressing that it was &quot;not a real reflection&quot; of the people&#39;s mandate.</p>

<p>State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said the TMC was ruling was &quot;autocratically&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;What is the use of conducting elections in Bengal? The TMC doesn&#39;t allow free and fair elections. If an opposition candidate manages to win, they poach on him,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
&quot;We feel these results are not the reflection of people&#39;s mandate. After the elections were held, we had demanded cancellation of the entire elections as it was not free and fair,&quot; senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said.</p>


The TMC bagged also seats in Panskura and Haldia in East Midnapore district, Nalhati in Birbhum, Buniyadpur in South Dinajpur and Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri districts

The Trinamool Congress swept today the municipal polls in West Bengal capturing all the seven civic bodies while the BJP finished second in most places relegating the Left to the third position. The BJP won six seats in three municipalities which included four in Dhupguri in north Bengal and one each in Buniyadpur (north Bengal) and Panskura in south Bengal, according to the results of the August 13 civic elections. The TMC bagged also seats in Panskura and Haldia in East Midnapore district, Nalhati in Birbhum, Buniyadpur in South Dinajpur and Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri districts. The party also registered a massive victory in Durgapur Municipal Corporation in Burdwan West district capturing all the 43 wards, besides Cooper's Camp where it won all the 12 seats. In Haldia municipality also, the TMC got elected in all the 29 seats, according to the results declared today. The election results were indicative of a paradigm shift in the state politics with the BJP emerging as the main challenger to the TMC, according to poll watchers. The Left put up a poor show with the Forward Bloc, a front partner, winning a seat in Nalhati municipality. The Congress failed to win even a single seat in the polls. In Haldia municipality, once considered as a Left bastion, the TMC won all the 29 wards securing more than 50 per cent of the total votes polled. Of the 16 seats in Dhupguri municipality in north Bengal, the TMC won 12 seats while the BJP captured four. Out of the 14 wards in Buniyadpur, also in north Bengal, the TMC won 13 wards and the BJP bagged one seat. In Nalhati municipality, the TMC won 14 of the 16 wards, while the Left Front and an independent candidate won one ward each. In 18-member Panskura municipality, the TMC won 17 wards and the BJP managed to secure one ward. The TMC also won the by-election in a ward in Jhargram municipality. "The results are a reflection of people's faith in the TMC government and a befitting reply to the canards spread against us," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said, reacting to the outcome of the civic polls. On the BJP's performance, senior TMC leader Gautam Deb said, "The Left Front has shifted its vote to the BJP. The vote share of the TMC is intact, rather we have increased our vote share. I "It is the Left which is having a tacit understanding with the BJP," he said. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh, however, said, "We all know that the TMC used money and muscle power to win the elections. We have seen how democracy was subverted by the TMC. "In spite of a reign of terror, we have managed to win seats and come up to the second position," he said. The opposition called the civic election results a "farce", with the Congress and the Left stressing that it was "not a real reflection" of the people's mandate. State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said the TMC was ruling was "autocratically". "What is the use of conducting elections in Bengal? The TMC doesn't allow free and fair elections. If an opposition candidate manages to win, they poach on him," he said. "We feel these results are not the reflection of people's mandate. After the elections were held, we had demanded cancellation of the entire elections as it was not free and fair," senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

TMC sweeps civic polls in West Bengal, BJP emerges as main challenger

<p>Protests in the Darjeeling hills turned violent today as Trinamool Congress (TMC) office and a North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) ticket counter in Kalimpong were set on fire.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Visuals posted by ANI on Twitter show smoke coming out of the office.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
A local resident told WION buses were also burnt down in Kalimpong. She added that firing is currently underway near the town&rsquo;s main market and that all residents have been advised to stay indoors.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Darjeeling?src=hash">#Darjeeling</a>: TMC office and a North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) ticket counter set on fire in Kalimpong. <a href="https://t.co/BWwh8SWMZm">pic.twitter.com/BWwh8SWMZm</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/882524467372597249">July 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Protests erupted in Darjeeling after Banerjee decided to make Bengali compulsory for all schools in the state. An indefinite strike was announced by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on June 12.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Except for medicine outlets, all shops, schools and colleges are closed, and transport is off the road.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


A North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) ticket counter was also set on fire

Protests in the Darjeeling hills turned violent today as Trinamool Congress (TMC) office and a North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) ticket counter in Kalimpong were set on fire. Visuals posted by ANI on Twitter show smoke coming out of the office. A local resident told WION buses were also burnt down in Kalimpong. She added that firing is currently underway near the town’s main market and that all residents have been advised to stay indoors. #Darjeeling: TMC office and a North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) ticket counter set on fire in Kalimpong. pic.twitter.com/BWwh8SWMZm — ANI (@ANI_news) July 5, 2017 × Protests erupted in Darjeeling after Banerjee decided to make Bengali compulsory for all schools in the state. An indefinite strike was announced by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on June 12. Except for medicine outlets, all shops, schools and colleges are closed, and transport is off the road.

Darjeeling unrest: Fresh violence as TMC office torched in Kalimpong

<p>West Bengal&#39;s ruling Trinamool Congress will not attend the midnight programme in Parliament to mark the GST roll-out on June 30 as a mark of protest, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday.</p>

<p>In a Facebook post, the TMC chief called the &quot;unnecessary disastrous hurry&quot; over the implementation of GST after demonetisation &quot;another epic blunder of the Centre.&quot;</p>

<p>Mamata Banerjee claimed the economy was not yet ready to face the GST roll-out from July 1.</p>

<p>&quot;After demonetisation, this unnecessary disastrous hurry is another epic blunder of the Centre. We have been for GST from the beginning but are very worried now with the way the Central Government is going ahead with the implementation. Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement GST have fallen in deaf ears. The entire business community, especially the small and medium ones, are scared and confused. Only 60 hours are left before this ill planned launch and no one knows for sure what&#39;s happening!,&quot; she wrote.</p>

<p>The West Bengal chief minister said it would take at least six more months to notify all rules and procedures and give enough time to the stakeholders, particularly the Small and Medium Enterprises for successfully implementing the landmark tax reform.</p>

<p><br />
&quot;Small business entities are not yet ready with the basic requirements like invoice, accounting system, IT system, etc. Another piece of evidence of unpreparedness comes from the fact that the &lsquo;Return Form&rsquo; had to be simplified for the first 6 months as all systems are not in place. It is shocking that the e-Waybill System is not yet designed and States are being asked to run their own systems as a stopgap arrangement,&quot; Mamata Banerjee wrote.</p>

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Mamata Banerjee claimed the economy was not yet ready to face the GST from July 1

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress will not attend the midnight programme in Parliament to mark the GST roll-out on June 30 as a mark of protest, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday. In a Facebook post, the TMC chief called the "unnecessary disastrous hurry" over the implementation of GST after demonetisation "another epic blunder of the Centre." Mamata Banerjee claimed the economy was not yet ready to face the GST roll-out from July 1. "After demonetisation, this unnecessary disastrous hurry is another epic blunder of the Centre. We have been for GST from the beginning but are very worried now with the way the Central Government is going ahead with the implementation. Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement GST have fallen in deaf ears. The entire business community, especially the small and medium ones, are scared and confused. Only 60 hours are left before this ill planned launch and no one knows for sure what's happening!," she wrote. The West Bengal chief minister said it would take at least six more months to notify all rules and procedures and give enough time to the stakeholders, particularly the Small and Medium Enterprises for successfully implementing the landmark tax reform. "Small business entities are not yet ready with the basic requirements like invoice, accounting system, IT system, etc. Another piece of evidence of unpreparedness comes from the fact that the ‘Return Form’ had to be simplified for the first 6 months as all systems are not in place. It is shocking that the e-Waybill System is not yet designed and States are being asked to run their own systems as a stopgap arrangement," Mamata Banerjee wrote. ×

Trinamool to skip Parliament's GST roll-out programme on June 30: Mamata Banerjee

<p>Two persons died and another was critically injured on Tuesday in alleged police firing on protesters agitating over the acquisition of their land for a power project in India&#39;s eastern state of West Bengal.<br />
<br />
One of those with bullet injuries, Mofizul Ali Khan, was rushed to SSKM Hospital in state capital Kolkata where he later died. Of the other two who were admitted in RG Kar hospital in Kolkata, Alam, also later succumbed to his injuries while the other patient continues to be critical.<br />
<br />
The state&#39;s chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who earlier assured agitating protesters that their land would not be acquired for a power project, later retracted her statement which was deleted from Twitter where it had been posted.</p>

<p>A land acquisition drive for a power project in the Bhangar division in Bengal&rsquo;s South 24 Parganas district at the behest of a strongman of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party had culminated in violent clashes between protesting villagers and the police.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Villagers alleged police excesses and claim that the police opened fire on them today and also went on a rampage and barged into their houses, ransacking them last night. The police maintained that it was the other way round and that a few police officers were also injured in the incident.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The police also said they had restricted themselves to the use of rubber bullets, a non-lethal weapon.</p>

<p>&ldquo;We restricted ourselves to the use of tear gas shells and rubber bullets. These are non-lethal weapons, which cannot result in any injury or death,&rdquo;&nbsp;a senior police official, who refused to be named told WION.</p>

<p>The protests&nbsp;were over the acquisition of 13 acres of farmers&#39; land in Bhangar by a local TMC leader for a power project of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, an enterprise of the federal government.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited has been informed that the work at the Bhangar unit will remain permanently suspended, sources in the state administration told WION.</p>

<p>In a&nbsp;statement, posted on her party&#39;s official Twitter account, Mamata Banerjee earlier said the proposed power grid would be relocated if required.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">No land will be acquired if people don&#39;t want to give away land. Proposed power grid will be relocated if required: <a href="https://twitter.com/MamataOfficial">@MamataOfficial</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bhangor?src=hash">#Bhangor</a></p>
&mdash; AITC (@AITCofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/AITCofficial/status/821339767279382528">January 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Protestors set ablaze two police vehicles and vandalised six others.Tension still prevails in the area.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sources at the West Bengal state secretariat, Nabanna, said a huge contingent of Kolkata Police force will be rushed at night to Bhangor to identify &quot;outsiders&quot;, who are reportedly spearheading the agitation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bhangar witnessed large scale violence and battles with the district police throughout the day, shaking up the entire administration and police force. Villagers were spotted pelting stones and wooden sticks at the police who, in turn, fired tear-gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse agitating protestors.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The fierce resistance took place despite the government&rsquo;s assertion that work on the power grid substation will remain suspended.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trinamool Congress strongman from Bhangar, Arabul Islam, had reportedly acquired the land in 2013 for setting up a 440/220KV substation to transmit power between West Bengal and Purnea in the neighbouring state of Bihar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Farmers and villagers led by Kalu Sheikh have been protesting ever since, demanding that work on the substation be suspended and land be returned to them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bhangar has been on the boil on several occasions. However, the movement gained momentum over the last week when work on the substation was almost over and it was on the verge of getting functional.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The movement took a fierce turn last night, when Kalu Sheikh was allegedly picked up by police. Villagers of Machhidanga hit the streets demanding his immediate release. Within hours of witnessing clashes, Kalu Sheikh was released by the police after pressure mounted on them, according to the villagers.</p>

<p>The state administration has rushed two of its senior leaders, Abdur Rezzak Mollah and Mukul Roy to bring the situation under control.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The police have cordoned off the entire area in and around the main gate of the power grid substation and deployed the Rapid Action Force and a huge contingent of combat force.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The movement for the closure of the substation continues to gain momentum. The state power minister, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, said, &quot;Work has been suspended. Why is the agitation on? We have agreed to their demand. I will have a dialogue with them.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Ironically, the TMC was the party which spearheaded the protests over land acquisition for industrial purposes in West Bengal&#39;s Nandigram and Singur.</p>

<p>Many see a resemblance between the protests in Bhangar with the Nandigram movement of 2007.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The way the villagers blocked roads with uprooted trees to prevent police from entering the villages, the way they surrounded police from three sides and pelted stones at them in an organised manner, reminded many of the Nandigram movement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Observers close to the ruling party claim that this movement has been &lsquo;hijacked&rsquo; and is not led by villagers. Some even see a Maoist hand behind it.<br />
<br />
(WION)</p>


A land acquisition drive for a power project at the behest of a strongman from the ruling Trinamool Congress party led to violence

Two persons died and another was critically injured on Tuesday in alleged police firing on protesters agitating over the acquisition of their land for a power project in India's eastern state of West Bengal. One of those with bullet injuries, Mofizul Ali Khan, was rushed to SSKM Hospital in state capital Kolkata where he later died. Of the other two who were admitted in RG Kar hospital in Kolkata, Alam, also later succumbed to his injuries while the other patient continues to be critical. The state's chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who earlier assured agitating protesters that their land would not be acquired for a power project, later retracted her statement which was deleted from Twitter where it had been posted. A land acquisition drive for a power project in the Bhangar division in Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district at the behest of a strongman of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party had culminated in violent clashes between protesting villagers and the police. Villagers alleged police excesses and claim that the police opened fire on them today and also went on a rampage and barged into their houses, ransacking them last night. The police maintained that it was the other way round and that a few police officers were also injured in the incident. The police also said they had restricted themselves to the use of rubber bullets, a non-lethal weapon. “We restricted ourselves to the use of tear gas shells and rubber bullets. These are non-lethal weapons, which cannot result in any injury or death,” a senior police official, who refused to be named told WION. The protests were over the acquisition of 13 acres of farmers' land in Bhangar by a local TMC leader for a power project of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, an enterprise of the federal government. The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited has been informed that the work at the Bhangar unit will remain permanently suspended, sources in the state administration told WION. In a statement, posted on her party's official Twitter account, Mamata Banerjee earlier said the proposed power grid would be relocated if required. No land will be acquired if people don't want to give away land. Proposed power grid will be relocated if required: @MamataOfficial #Bhangor — AITC (@AITCofficial) January 17, 2017 × Protestors set ablaze two police vehicles and vandalised six others.Tension still prevails in the area. Sources at the West Bengal state secretariat, Nabanna, said a huge contingent of Kolkata Police force will be rushed at night to Bhangor to identify "outsiders", who are reportedly spearheading the agitation. Bhangar witnessed large scale violence and battles with the district police throughout the day, shaking up the entire administration and police force. Villagers were spotted pelting stones and wooden sticks at the police who, in turn, fired tear-gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse agitating protestors. The fierce resistance took place despite the government’s assertion that work on the power grid substation will remain suspended. Trinamool Congress strongman from Bhangar, Arabul Islam, had reportedly acquired the land in 2013 for setting up a 440/220KV substation to transmit power between West Bengal and Purnea in the neighbouring state of Bihar. Farmers and villagers led by Kalu Sheikh have been protesting ever since, demanding that work on the substation be suspended and land be returned to them. Bhangar has been on the boil on several occasions. However, the movement gained momentum over the last week when work on the substation was almost over and it was on the verge of getting functional. The movement took a fierce turn last night, when Kalu Sheikh was allegedly picked up by police. Villagers of Machhidanga hit the streets demanding his immediate release. Within hours of witnessing clashes, Kalu Sheikh was released by the police after pressure mounted on them, according to the villagers. The state administration has rushed two of its senior leaders, Abdur Rezzak Mollah and Mukul Roy to bring the situation under control. The police have cordoned off the entire area in and around the main gate of the power grid substation and deployed the Rapid Action Force and a huge contingent of combat force. The movement for the closure of the substation continues to gain momentum. The state power minister, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, said, "Work has been suspended. Why is the agitation on? We have agreed to their demand. I will have a dialogue with them.” Ironically, the TMC was the party which spearheaded the protests over land acquisition for industrial purposes in West Bengal's Nandigram and Singur. Many see a resemblance between the protests in Bhangar with the Nandigram movement of 2007. The way the villagers blocked roads with uprooted trees to prevent police from entering the villages, the way they surrounded police from three sides and pelted stones at them in an organised manner, reminded many of the Nandigram movement. Observers close to the ruling party claim that this movement has been ‘hijacked’ and is not led by villagers. Some even see a Maoist hand behind it. (WION)

Bengal anti-land grab agitation: Two dead in alleged police firing on protesters

<p>Major clashes erupted at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party office in Kolkata, following the arrest of Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay.</p>

<p>Party cadres of Trinamool Congress clashed with BJP supporters, injuring several on both sides, including senior leaders of BJP.</p>

<p>A huge contingent of police officials was rushed to the BJP party office to bring the situation under control. Trinamool Congress supporters were seen pelting stones and hurling empty glass bottles at the party office.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the police is trying to push back Trinamool Congress supporters to prevent any further deterioration of the situation. Police have put up guard rails to prevent entry of any Trinamool Congress supporters near the BJP party office.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Rapid Action Force has been deployed near the BJP party office in Kolkata. All shops around the party office has been shutdown.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Officer-in-charge, Jorasanko Police Station, Amit Rakshit, has been injured in the stone pelting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several cars parked near the party office have&nbsp;been vandalised.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


Trinamool Congress supporters were seen pelting stones and hurling empty glass bottles at the party office

Major clashes erupted at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party office in Kolkata, following the arrest of Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay. Party cadres of Trinamool Congress clashed with BJP supporters, injuring several on both sides, including senior leaders of BJP. A huge contingent of police officials was rushed to the BJP party office to bring the situation under control. Trinamool Congress supporters were seen pelting stones and hurling empty glass bottles at the party office. Meanwhile, the police is trying to push back Trinamool Congress supporters to prevent any further deterioration of the situation. Police have put up guard rails to prevent entry of any Trinamool Congress supporters near the BJP party office. Meanwhile, Rapid Action Force has been deployed near the BJP party office in Kolkata. All shops around the party office has been shutdown. The Officer-in-charge, Jorasanko Police Station, Amit Rakshit, has been injured in the stone pelting. Several cars parked near the party office have been vandalised. (WION)

BJP-TMC supporters clash at BJP party HQ

<p>Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Sudip Bandyopadhyay was arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Rose Valley Chit Fund Scam on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes as a major blow to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee with the party&rsquo;s second MP being arrested within a week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, the&nbsp;CBI&nbsp;had arrested Tapas Pal in connection with the same chit fund scam.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Bandyopadhyay was arrested after three and a half hours of interrogation by three officers of the CBI. Sources in the investigating agency reveal that he had been arrested after several inconsistencies surfaced in his statements.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was summoned twice in December last year by the agency, however, he had skipped the meeting stating prior engagements.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, while arriving at the CBI&rsquo;s office, Bandyapadhyay had said, &ldquo;I will come to face CBI interrogation to know what is against me. This is a political vendetta against me and the Trinamool Congress party by the NDA-ruled Central government.&rdquo;</p>

<p>On the other hand, Pal will be produced before a court by CBI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


Sudip Bandyopadhyay was arrested by CBI in connection with the Rose Valley Chit Fund Scam

Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Sudip Bandyopadhyay was arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Rose Valley Chit Fund Scam on Tuesday. This comes as a major blow to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee with the party’s second MP being arrested within a week. Earlier, the CBI had arrested Tapas Pal in connection with the same chit fund scam. Bandyopadhyay was arrested after three and a half hours of interrogation by three officers of the CBI. Sources in the investigating agency reveal that he had been arrested after several inconsistencies surfaced in his statements. He was summoned twice in December last year by the agency, however, he had skipped the meeting stating prior engagements. Earlier in the day, while arriving at the CBI’s office, Bandyapadhyay had said, “I will come to face CBI interrogation to know what is against me. This is a political vendetta against me and the Trinamool Congress party by the NDA-ruled Central government.” On the other hand, Pal will be produced before a court by CBI. (WION)

Bengal: Another Trinamool Congress legislator arrested over Chit Fund scam

<p>Parliament erupted in protests over the deployment of the Indian Army at toll plazas across&nbsp;West Bengal with the state&#39;s ruling party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), &nbsp;accusing the federal government of &quot;sinister designs&quot; and the government maintaining that it was a routine exercise conducted in full knowledge of the local authorities.</p>

<p>The row started after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged yesterday that the Army was deployed at the behest of the federal government at 19 toll plazas in the state without taking her government into confidence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mamata Banerjee, who is camped at the state secretariat, has refused to budge from there until the army retreats across the West Bengal plazas.&nbsp;&quot;What happened that central government did not deem it necessary to discuss with state government before deploying Army. Army, which is there for the protection of people, is now being used for political purpose. They are now doing political work,&quot; the West Bengal chief minister alleged.</p>

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<p>The ruling party in the state of West Bengal has accused India&#39;s central government of deploying the army in various parts of the state. Calling it similar to a military coup. (WION)</p>
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<p>TMC leaders in both Houses alleged that neither the state government, nor local administration including police were taken into confidence nor was their permission sought before the exercise.</p>

<p>The main opposition Congress also asked the federal government how such an &quot;unprecedented move&quot; to carry out an army exercise was done without taking state government into confidence.</p>

<p>Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati called the military deployment a deliberate move by the federal government to humiliate Mamata Banerje for protesting the government&#39;s demonetisation policy.</p>

<p>Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar defended the government in the Lower House, Lok Sabha, terming the deployment a &quot;routine exercise not unique to West Bengal.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The minister said that a similar exercise was also being conducted in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, &nbsp;Meghlaya and Mizoram and similar operations had already been conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand last month.</p>

<p>The purpose of these exercises was to collect information on heavy vehicle movement that could be used during national emergencies, Parrikar said.</p>

<p>&quot;It is shocking that a Chief Minister is saying this. The Army&#39;s deployment was part of routine exercise which has been going on for several years, which has been going on for last 15-20 years. Even last year it was held on<br />
November 19 to 21,&quot; Parrikar said.</p>

<p>&quot;It was very unfortunate that army has been dragged into an unnecessary controversy,&quot; he added. &quot;It was political frustration rather than projection of correct situation.&quot;</p>

<p>Parrikar also said that originally the exercise was planned for November 28-30 but was shifted to December 1 and 2 at the request of Kolkata Police as those dates were clashing with the protests against demonetisation.</p>

<p>&quot;Concerned officials were informed in West Bengal. The original date was fixed for November 28 to 30 but due to Bharat Bandh (all-India strike),&nbsp;the local police had advised the army to shift it to December 1 and 2,&quot; he said. &quot;Due to traffic congestion, the exercise is being done with the help of local police.&quot;</p>

<p>Trinamool Congress MLAs also staged protests outside the Governor&#39;s House in Kolkata demanding withdrawal of army from toll plazas.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Trinamool Congress MLAs stage dharna outside Raj Bhavan demanding withdrawal of army from toll plazas. <a href="https://t.co/3raSWtfiSm">pic.twitter.com/3raSWtfiSm</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/804612603909586949">December 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee alleged yesterday that the Army was deployed without taking her government into confidence

Parliament erupted in protests over the deployment of the Indian Army at toll plazas across West Bengal with the state's ruling party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), accusing the federal government of "sinister designs" and the government maintaining that it was a routine exercise conducted in full knowledge of the local authorities. The row started after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged yesterday that the Army was deployed at the behest of the federal government at 19 toll plazas in the state without taking her government into confidence. Mamata Banerjee, who is camped at the state secretariat, has refused to budge from there until the army retreats across the West Bengal plazas. "What happened that central government did not deem it necessary to discuss with state government before deploying Army. Army, which is there for the protection of people, is now being used for political purpose. They are now doing political work," the West Bengal chief minister alleged. The ruling party in the state of West Bengal has accused India's central government of deploying the army in various parts of the state. Calling it similar to a military coup. (WION) × TMC leaders in both Houses alleged that neither the state government, nor local administration including police were taken into confidence nor was their permission sought before the exercise. The main opposition Congress also asked the federal government how such an "unprecedented move" to carry out an army exercise was done without taking state government into confidence. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati called the military deployment a deliberate move by the federal government to humiliate Mamata Banerje for protesting the government's demonetisation policy. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar defended the government in the Lower House, Lok Sabha, terming the deployment a "routine exercise not unique to West Bengal." The minister said that a similar exercise was also being conducted in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghlaya and Mizoram and similar operations had already been conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand last month. The purpose of these exercises was to collect information on heavy vehicle movement that could be used during national emergencies, Parrikar said. "It is shocking that a Chief Minister is saying this. The Army's deployment was part of routine exercise which has been going on for several years, which has been going on for last 15-20 years. Even last year it was held on November 19 to 21," Parrikar said. "It was very unfortunate that army has been dragged into an unnecessary controversy," he added. "It was political frustration rather than projection of correct situation." Parrikar also said that originally the exercise was planned for November 28-30 but was shifted to December 1 and 2 at the request of Kolkata Police as those dates were clashing with the protests against demonetisation. "Concerned officials were informed in West Bengal. The original date was fixed for November 28 to 30 but due to Bharat Bandh (all-India strike), the local police had advised the army to shift it to December 1 and 2," he said. "Due to traffic congestion, the exercise is being done with the help of local police." Trinamool Congress MLAs also staged protests outside the Governor's House in Kolkata demanding withdrawal of army from toll plazas. Trinamool Congress MLAs stage dharna outside Raj Bhavan demanding withdrawal of army from toll plazas. pic.twitter.com/3raSWtfiSm — ANI (@ANI_news) December 2, 2016 × (WION with inputs from agencies)

Indian Parliament adjourned till December 5 after protests over army deployment at toll plazas

<p>By-elections were held in six Indian states and one union territory today, the first since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government&#39;s move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. The elections were held for four Parliament and 10 assembly constituencies in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.</p>

<p>In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP won both the Nepanagar assembly seat and the Shahdol (reserved constituency) Lok Sabha seat with its candidate Gyan Singh defeating Cong rival Himadri Singh by a margin of over 60,000 votes.</p>

<p>Around 66 per cent people voted in the by-polls in Shahdol constituency while the turnout in Nepanagar was about 73 per cent.</p>

<p>In BJP-ruled Assam, the party is leading by a huge margin in the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat vacated by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal. It is also leading by 4,835 votes in Baithalangso assembly seat, where an ex-Congress candidate fought.</p>

<p>In West Bengal, where by-elections were held for one assembly seat - Monteswar - and two Parliament seats - Coochbehar and Tamluk - all the seats were held by the Trinamool Congress of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.</p>

<p>Trinamool Congress candidates were way ahead of rivals in the vote count on Tuesday where by-polls were held on Saturday. Dibyendu Adhikari was declared elected from Tamluk Lok Sabha seat defeating his nearest rival CPM&rsquo;s Mandira Panda by 497,000 votes.</p>

<p>In Tamil Nadu, by-elections were held for three assembly seats which are all won by AIADMK candidates, who were in direct contest with rival DMK.</p>

<p>Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy of the Congress has won the Nellithope Assembly seat.</p>

<p>In Tripura, the CPI-M won both the assembly seats in Barjala and Khowai.</p>

<p>These were the first elections after the currency ban, over which the opposition has attacked the government.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


The BJP won all seats in Madhya Pradesh, Trinamool in West Bengal, CPI (M) in Tripura, and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu

By-elections were held in six Indian states and one union territory today, the first since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government's move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. The elections were held for four Parliament and 10 assembly constituencies in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP won both the Nepanagar assembly seat and the Shahdol (reserved constituency) Lok Sabha seat with its candidate Gyan Singh defeating Cong rival Himadri Singh by a margin of over 60,000 votes. Around 66 per cent people voted in the by-polls in Shahdol constituency while the turnout in Nepanagar was about 73 per cent. In BJP-ruled Assam, the party is leading by a huge margin in the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat vacated by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal. It is also leading by 4,835 votes in Baithalangso assembly seat, where an ex-Congress candidate fought. In West Bengal, where by-elections were held for one assembly seat - Monteswar - and two Parliament seats - Coochbehar and Tamluk - all the seats were held by the Trinamool Congress of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Trinamool Congress candidates were way ahead of rivals in the vote count on Tuesday where by-polls were held on Saturday. Dibyendu Adhikari was declared elected from Tamluk Lok Sabha seat defeating his nearest rival CPM’s Mandira Panda by 497,000 votes. In Tamil Nadu, by-elections were held for three assembly seats which are all won by AIADMK candidates, who were in direct contest with rival DMK. Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy of the Congress has won the Nellithope Assembly seat. In Tripura, the CPI-M won both the assembly seats in Barjala and Khowai. These were the first elections after the currency ban, over which the opposition has attacked the government. (WION)

By-polls in 6 Indian states: Ruling parties retain most seats

<p>Opposition today disrupted the proceedings of the Lok Sabha for the fourth consecutive day today demanding discussion on demonetisation on a rule which entails voting forcing Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to adjourn the House for about 50 minutes soon after it assembled.</p>

<p>As soon as the House met, members of the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, Left parties and the Aam Aadmi Party rushed to the Well of the House demanding a discussion on the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.</p>

<p>Samjawadi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Rashriya Janata Dal (RJD) stood in the aisles in solidarity with the other opposition members.</p>

<p>While AIADMK members were also on the aisles raising the issue of Tamil fishermen injured allegedly in firing by Sri Lankan Navy, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was seen busy in his seat in an intimate discussion with AAP MP from Punjab Harinder Singh Khalsa.</p>

<p>Ignoring the slogan-shouting Opposition members, Speaker allowed the Question Hour to continue amidst noise.</p>

<p>When some Opposition members tried to bring a placard, denouncing the demonetisation move, in front of Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who was replying to a question related to his Ministry, the Speaker tried to intervene and asked the MPs not to disturb the Minister.</p>

<p>&quot;This is not good. Everyone will be shown on TV, but don&#39;t disturb the Minister. If you want to discuss something, raise it before the government. People are in pain, tell the government. But this is not the way to highlight people&#39;s grievances,&quot; Mahajan said asking them to return to their seats.</p>

<p>However, an unrelenting opposition continued to raise slogans.</p>

<p>The Speaker again appealed to the opposition to participate in the debate saying that the disruption of proceedings would not resolve the problem.</p>

<p>&quot;I am really pained. If you are people&#39;s representatives, you should stand by them,&quot; she said.</p>

<p>As pandemonium continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon after 20 minutes of proceedings.</p>

<p>(PTI)</p>


An unrelenting Opposition continued to demand a debate on the demonetisation of 500- & 1,000-rupee notes

Opposition today disrupted the proceedings of the Lok Sabha for the fourth consecutive day today demanding discussion on demonetisation on a rule which entails voting forcing Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to adjourn the House for about 50 minutes soon after it assembled. As soon as the House met, members of the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, Left parties and the Aam Aadmi Party rushed to the Well of the House demanding a discussion on the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes. Samjawadi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Rashriya Janata Dal (RJD) stood in the aisles in solidarity with the other opposition members. While AIADMK members were also on the aisles raising the issue of Tamil fishermen injured allegedly in firing by Sri Lankan Navy, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was seen busy in his seat in an intimate discussion with AAP MP from Punjab Harinder Singh Khalsa. Ignoring the slogan-shouting Opposition members, Speaker allowed the Question Hour to continue amidst noise. When some Opposition members tried to bring a placard, denouncing the demonetisation move, in front of Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who was replying to a question related to his Ministry, the Speaker tried to intervene and asked the MPs not to disturb the Minister. "This is not good. Everyone will be shown on TV, but don't disturb the Minister. If you want to discuss something, raise it before the government. People are in pain, tell the government. But this is not the way to highlight people's grievances," Mahajan said asking them to return to their seats. However, an unrelenting opposition continued to raise slogans. The Speaker again appealed to the opposition to participate in the debate saying that the disruption of proceedings would not resolve the problem. "I am really pained. If you are people's representatives, you should stand by them," she said. As pandemonium continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon after 20 minutes of proceedings. (PTI)

India: Lok Sabha adjourned for fourth consecutive day

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