Political violence claims 24 lives in West Bengal!ET Reports!Around 85 per cent votes were cast on Wednesday in the third phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections in 75 constituencies in three districts. Me and SABITA also used our VOTES. But our son EXCALLIBUR Stevense could not accompany us. We had to send him away just for his security. As he had become the Soft Target in the family. We are under continuous THREAT and THREATENED by GOONs Politically Protected. They constitute the PARIBARTAN Brahaminical BRIGADE. We never felt so INSECURE during Past THREE Decades of my Professional career as Journalist. This is the scenerio in Bengal today. Resurgence of SEVETIES is openly threatened. I had been writing about the Unprecendeted VIOLENCE in the FREE MARKET ECONOMY introduced by the Ruling Brahaminical Hegemony. No one with Independence and Sovereignty, Impartial and Objective, remains safe. As the society is VERTICALLY Polarised Politically to sustain Manusmriti Rule! You have to chose either of the Ruling Brahaminical faction for your sustenance!The GOONs visit our Home at will and INTIMIDATE us constantly! This is very TENSE Experience for my wife SABITA who has to live alone when I am away. She has undergone Open Heart surger in 1995 and lives on INSULIN!
Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time - SIX HUNDRED TWENTY FOUR
Palash Biswas
http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/
http://basantipurtimes.blogspot.com/
Around 85 per cent votes were cast on Wednesday in the third phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections in 75 constituencies in three districts. Me and SABITA also used our VOTES. But our son EXCALLIBUR Stevense could not acompany us. We had to send him away just for his security. As he had become the Soft Target in the family. We are under continuous THREAT and THREATENED by GOONs Politically Protected. They constitute the PARIBARTAN Brahaminical BRIGADE. We never felt so INSECURE during Past THREE Decades of my Professional career as Journalist. This is the scenerio in Bengal today. Resurgence of SEVETIES is openly threatened. I had been writing about the Unprecendeted VIOLENCE in the FREE MARKET ECONOMY introduced by the Ruling Brahaminical Hegemony. No one with Independence and Sovereignty, Impartial and Objective, remains safe. As the society is VERTICALLY Polarised Politically to sustain Manusmriti Rule! You have to chose either of the Ruling Brahaminical faction for your sustenance!The GOONs visit our Home at will and INTIMIDATE us constantly! This is very TENSE Experience for my wife SABITA who has to live alone when I am away. She has undergone Open Heart surger in 1995 and lives on INSULIN!
My father Late Pulin Babu led First refugee movement in Siliguri way back in 1952 while the refugees were tried to be transformed as COOLIES in Tea Garden. He also supported Refugee Rehabilitation in Dandakaranya and Andaman Nicober. Bengali Brahaminical Politics EJECTED him out of Benagl.
I had been in North India. I settled in Bengal as late as in 1991 quite UNAWARE of the Brahaminical Hegemony. Since than I face consistant Persecution and muy career is BLOCKED for ever. Now, they want me out of Benagl. But I am NOT Leaving Bengal whatsoeve may come!
Just see the evidence in the statement of the Cief Minister in waiting!
Urging people to cast their votes fearlessly without being intimidated by terror allegedly spread by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance, if elected to power, would seize all illegal firearms in West Bengal as well as take legal action against CPI(M) leaders and activists against whom criminal cases were pending.This would be the new government's primary target objective, the Trinamool chief told an election meeting at Arambagh in Hooghly district, where elections are to be held on May 3.
Just let the Security Network should lose, Hell would Loose for Aboriginal Indigenous Excluded Communities!
Sixteen presiding officers were removed in four constituencies of North 24 Parganas district today on receipt of several complaints, during the third phase poll in West Bengal.
Election office sources said the presiding officers of Bagda, Bongaon, Gaighata and Bidhannagar assembly segments were replaced by others following complaints by agents of an opposition party that they were violating procedures which might influence voters.
27 APR, 2011, 04.21AM IST, BHARTI JAIN,ET BUREAU
Political violence claims 24 lives in West Bengal
NEW DELHI: Though the polling process in West Bengal is not even half way through, political clashes in the state have already claimed 24 lives. Of the 24 killed, 12 were Trinamool Congress workers, while only five were CPM cadres.Among the dead were also three Congress workers, sources in the government told ET on Tuesday. The casualty figures indicate that the Trinamool Congress cadres have been at the receiving end of political violence unleashed by the rival camp. Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee has been alleging atrocities on her party workers by the CPM "goons" and had even prevailed upon Union Home Minister P Chidamabaram to intervene in January this year and tell West Bengal chief minister to rein in the "harmads."
Though the CPM strongly objected to the Home Minsiter's "nasty" description of its cadres as 'harmads', the state Government appears to have done little to control political violence that has been on an upswing in view of the Assembly poll.
Even at a rally in Midnapore on Monday, Chidambaram raised the Netai incident, where firing from within a CPM-patronised armoury in January had killed seven villagers and injured 20 others, to stress on the state Government's failure to check political violence.
Out on his first poll campaign in West Bengal, Chidambaram turned on the heat against Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee , accusing him of taking no action against CPM 'harmads' when he had been warned about them.
"Before the (Netai) incident I had told him many times and sent letters that members of the chief minister's own party were moving with arms and setting up camps. I told him I had information about the location of the camps, the leaders who were in the camps and in which houses these camps are located. He said nobody from his party was doing it," Chidambaram alleged.
He used this example, and the state's financial crisis, to argue his point that West Bengal was the worst-governed state in the country.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/political-violence-claims-24-lives-in-west-bengal/articleshow/8095746.cms
Ms. Banerjee claimed to have information that CPI(M) leaders in the district were "ruling at gunpoint and supplying arms on cycles" and alleged that a section of the police turned a blind eye to these happenings.
She assured people of adequate security both on the poll day and in the post-election period, and said she would request the Election Commission and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to deploy additional forces in the region.
The Trinamool in the past repeatedly alleged CPI(M)-led violence and rampant rigging during the elections in the Tarakeshwar, Arambag (SC), Pursurah, Goghat (SC) and Khanakul Assembly constituencies. "All these years, the CPI(M) has terrorised people in the region and not allowed them to cast their votes freely. In the Lok Sabha elections too, people were scared of voting freely. But I can assure you that the CPI(M) is not going to be re-elected this time across the State. So rise up, or else they will rig the polls and usher in another five years of terror and under-development," she said.
Sharing the dais with family members of several Trinamool activists who were killed allegedly by CPI(M) cadres in recent past, Ms. Banerjee charged that the victims were not allowed to lodge complaints by a section of the "politicised" police and were being denied justice.
"The CPI(M) has turned administration into complete maladministration. The Chief Minister has given free licence to armed cadres to create panic. Even Mr. Chidambaram said yesterday [Monday] that West Bengal is the worst governed State. While innocent villagers are being branded Maoists, the CPI(M) maintains friendship with the real Maoists," she said.
Reiterating her attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party as a "fair weather party," she charged the CPI(M) with partnering with the BJP in order to split anti-incumbency votes.
The polling percentage might rise as reports from remote areas of South and North 24-Parganas districts were still awaited, State Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta told reporters in Kolkata.A total of 479 candidates are in the fray for 75 seats spanning Kolkata and North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts, which have an electorate of 1,44,68,577. Among the six phases, the third will have the distinction of having the highest number of constituencies going to the polls.
He said polling was 82.6 per cent in South 24-Parganas district, 80 per cent in North 24-Parganas districts, while Kolkata (south) registered 63.5 per cent and Kolkata (north) 61.6 per cent.
Barring for some stray incidents, the polling was by and large peaceful, Mr. Gupta said.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today alleged that the CPI(M) tried to rig some booths in the Jadavpur assembly polls, saying the Election Commission had been informed about it.
"Attempts at rigging in some booths in the Jadavpur seat have been reported to me and I have information that central para-military personnel have been rendered idle and the State police asked to do the duty, slowing polling process at the instruction of the Chief Minister," Ms. Banerjee told a Bengali TV news channel.
| "Chief Minister used to win by means of rigging only and today also CPM tried to rig in some polling booths of Jadavpur," Mamta Banerjee said. more by Mamata Banerjee - 2 hours ago - Business Standard(1 occurrences) |
Jadavpur constituency witnessed a keen contest between the Chief Minister and state's former chief secretary Manish Gupta (Trinamool Congress) in a 13-cornered contest.
Alleging that CPI(M) activists had been indulging in intimidation and harassment of Trinamool workers in Bidhannagar, Rajarhat, Bijpur and Khardah seats, she said, "Attempts have been made to harass our candidates."
Ms. Banerjee said that the Election Commission had been posted with the development.
"All these attempts indicate that the CPI(M) is scared of defeat at the hustings and it will lose all the seats in North and South 24-Parganas districts, she asserted.
She railed at the Chief Minister for 'encouraging electoral malpractices' and claimed that in the Jadavpur constituency in the past he had given postal ballots to CPI(M) cadres.
Ms. Banerjee further alleged that some mediapersons were assaulted by CPI(M) cadres in the constituency and that she had information that 'some ministers' had been threatening TV channel staff.
She said the Centre should take the responsibility of protecting voters in the sensitive areas of Arambagh, Jangalmahal, Bankura and Purulia in the next three phases of elections.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress candidate form Jadavpur constituency Manish Gupta alleged that central forces were not allowed to function, causing 'outsiders' to sneak into many booths in the constituency, citing particularly Ward No. 101 where such an incident allegedly happened.
Mr. Gupta told PTI that intimidation of voters was also reported from a dozen booths in that ward.
Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta said here on Tuesday, "Armed paramilitary force will be deployed in all 11,792 polling booths. Apart from that, a three-tier security system will be in place around each booth so that people can cast their votes peacefully, without any fear of intimidation."
While a special observer has been sent by the Election Commission to oversee the third-phase polling, radio flying squads will move around in the city so that security personnel can respond to any incident within five minutes. More than 600 companies of Central forces have been deployed.
Besides Mr. Bhattacharjee, some of the important Ministers in the fray are Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, Minister for the Sunderbans Affairs Kanti Ganguly, Housing Minister Goutam Deb, Transport Minister Ranjit Kundu and Land and Land Reforms Minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah.
Some other significant candidates are Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Partha Chatterjee, Mayor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Shovan Chatterjee, the former FICCI general secretary, Amit Mitra, the former CBI Joint Director, Upen Biswas, the former Home Secretary, Manish Gupta (all Trinamool Congress), and the youngest Left Front candidate, Satarup Ghosh, who is 25.
While the voting pattern of the five-million-strong Matua sect can have a bearing on the outcome in at least 15 constituencies in North 24 Parganas, the minority factor and the issues of rehabilitation of the 'Aila' cyclone victims could play a major role in determining the results in South 24 Parganas.
The success of the Trinamool Congress in the region in the 2008 panchayat elections, the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and the 2010 municipal elections is considered an advantage to give the party an edge over the Left Front, but the Left Front too has claimed to have clawed back a sizeable portion of lost ground.
A day after the second phase of polling for the Assembly election in West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee asserted here on Sunday that the Left Front government will be returned to power for the eighth successive time "with a comfortable majority."
"We never give out numbers, but I can assure you that we shall achieve a comfortable majority," Mr. Bhattacharjee told journalists on being asked about the Left's assessment of how many seats they are going to win.
Outlining the priorities of the Left Front, Mr. Bhattacharjee said that his government will focus on agriculture, land distribution, development in rural areas, public distribution system, and providing employment.
"The drive for industrialisation has continued uninterrupted. In 2010, investment worth Rs. 15,000 crore came to the State, crossing all previous records," he said, adding that contrary to perceptions, the State government was not twiddling its thumbs on industrialisation after the shifting of the Tata Motors small car factory from the controversial site at Singur.
Altered approach
About 8,100 acres had been acquired for industry since the Singur episode, he said, adding that his government had altered its approach to land acquisition by creating a land-use map, trying to generate a consensus on acquisition as far as possible and attempting to leave fertile land untouched.
On being asked about the future of the nuclear energy park at Haripur in Purba Medinipur district, given that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has called for a rethink on nuclear energy projects in the wake of the disaster at Fukushima in Japan, Mr. Bhattacharjee said that a final decision on the matter was yet to be taken.
Mr. Bhattacharjee said that after the incident in Japan the debate on nuclear power had been thrown wide open worldwide. However, he pointed out that the protests organised by certain groups at Haripur were not against the nuclear power plant in particular.
"In Purba Medinipur, movements have been organised against all proposed industrial projects. A ship-building factory was obstructed. Not every such movement is justified," Mr. Bhattacharjee said.
Asked to respond to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who has again raised doubts about the orders for police firings at Nandigram, Mr. Bhattacharjee said that no such orders had been issued by the government.
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| PTI 27 Apr 2011, 20:55 2G scam: Cong, DMK slam PAC chief, demand resignation Slamming PAC chairman MM Joshi, Congress & DMK members of panel accused him of having "malafide intention" of destabilising govt and demanded his resignation. PAC on 2G: Manmohan gets clean chit, PMO in dock IANS 27 Apr 2011, 20:51 Parliamentary panel has given clean chit to Manmohan Singh but criticised PMO for delaying a letter to A Raja asking him to consult senior ministers. 'New breakthrough' in military ties with India: China PTI 27 Apr 2011, 20:19 China said "new breakthrough" has been achieved in its military relations with India, noting that a high-level Indian defence delegation would soon be visiting this country. Govt dismissive of PAC draft report PTI 27 Apr 2011, 20:17 Incensed by the leak of draft report of PAC, govt was dismissive about it and targeted him, saying he was acting as BJP member rather than Parliamentary panel chief. PM, Sonia producer and director of 'corruption movie': Gadkari PTI 27 Apr 2011, 19:29 BJP demanded action against Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi in connection with CWG & 2G scams, calling the duo director & producer of "corruption movie". Kanimozhi issue: Defensive DMK snarls and bears it Joe A Scaria 27 Apr 2011, 19:19 After its high-level committee met over Kanimozhi being named a co-conspirator in 2G scam, DMK leadership decided to back the party MP and fight case legally. Maoists now using high frequency waves to escape surveillance PTI 27 Apr 2011, 17:11 The BSF DIG refused to divulge more information saying new methods are being developed and deployed to gather intelligence in this regard. Lucknow University bans Anna Hazare's meeting on campus Isha Jain 27 Apr 2011, 16:54 An ugly scene was created on the campus on Wednesday morning when university proctorial board tried to block media persons from talking to students. Buddhadeb trying to manipulate polls, says Mamata PTI 27 Apr 2011, 15:57 She also appealed to the masses to vote without fear. She complained, the ruling Marxists were deliberately slowing down the pace of the polls. Gilani defends ISI; says govt backs all actions of spy agency PTI 27 Apr 2011, 15:34 The ISI was listed along with the terror groups in a document provided to officials who assessed terror suspects detained at Guantanamo Bay. Union Carbide waste clean-up: HC seeks time-bound programme PTI 27 Apr 2011, 14:32 The court said it would examine whether the erstwhile Union Carbide should be made liable for the reimbursement of expenditure for the clean-up.
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Where will West Bengal's Muslim votes go?
IANSPosted on Apr 25, 2011 at 06:32pm IST
Kolkata: West Bengal's Muslims, once a loyal vote bank of the ruling Marxists, appear noncommittal in the ongoing assembly polls even as the Left Front and rival Trinamool Congress try to woo the community that makes up 28 percent of the state's population. Land reforms and land distribution among landless farmers not only earned nationwide accolades for the Left Front, which came to power in 1977, but also cemented the base of its three-decade rule in the state. The Muslim community also benefited a lot from the land reforms, with rural Muslim households having access to 25.6 percent of the total cultivated land.
"Two things that swayed the community towards the Left Front are land reforms and land pattas which empowered landless Muslims, and also communal harmony and a sense of security," Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhuri, a political analyst, told IANS. "But this time Muslim votes are undecided," he said.
After 34 years of Left Front rule, the sense of security and the dividends of lands reforms are no more the blank cheques with which Muslim votes can be pocketed, especially after the report of the Rajinder Sachar committee highlighted the poor condition of the state's Muslims.
"It is true that we are more secure in Bengal than perhaps our counterparts in Gujarat. But also need jobs and development. Communists have shown the carrot of security for the last three decades but have done more or less nothing for our development," said Arshad Ahmed, who works at a meat shop.
The anti-land acquisition campaign in Singur and Nandigram, where allegations surfaced that the Left was trying to take land from Muslims, proved damaging. Leaders of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), which leads the Left Front, refuse to concede that they may have lost ground among Muslims.
Mohammed Salim, a CPM Central Committee member, said: "It is not true that we have lost minority votes. We have lost votes in general. The percentage of votes we lost consists of all kinds of voters, including Hindus and Muslims."
The northern districts of Malda and south Bengal's Murshidabad, 90 percent of the constituencies have a considerable Muslim population. In North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore - which includes Nandigram - the figure is 40 percent.
Rattled by its poor performance in Muslim dominated areas over the past three years, the Left Front has implemented the Ranganath Mishra Commission's recommendations and introduced 10 percent reservation in government jobs for the 53 backward classes among Muslims.
As a result of the expansion of the other backward classes (OBC) list, currently, out of 2.02 crore Muslims in Bengal, 1.72 crore are OBCs, amounting to over 85 percent of the total Muslims in the state.
"After the Sachar committee report and our rigorous campaign, Muslims know the real face of the CPI-M," said Sultan Ahmed, union minister of state for tourism and Trinamool leader.
Trinamool president and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has also used her portfolio to announce various railway projects in Muslim-dominated areas and promised to take the advice of Sachar for the community's development.
"The Left Front claim of providing security is vague. Muslims were secure in the state since the days of the Congress as communal harmony is the culture of Bengal," said senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan.
The Left has also lost a series of elections in the districts of Kolkata, Birbhum and Hooghly - where Singur is situated - which have 35 percent of their constituencies heavily populated by Muslims.
The anger of the Muslim community against the Left seems prominent, with religious leaders also asking for the ouster of the Left Front.
"The quota system is of no use. It is too late. Two generations of the community have lost all the opportunities," said Maulana Barkati, Shahi Imam of the Tipu Sultan Mosque.
Muslim political parties criticise both the Left and the opposition.
"The CPI-M has misused its powers and done nothing for Muslims. The Trinamool can also do no good, as it is interested only in votes," Siddiqullah Chowdhury, leader of People's Democratic Conference of India (PDCI), told IANS.
Political analysts, however, feel Muslim votes could be split between the two political camps.
"The Muslim vote bank is now a floating one. But the Left will be more alert this time and the Trinamool will have a slight advantage," said Samir Kumar Das, a political analyst.
The assembly polls are on from April 18-May 10. The third phase will be held on Wednesday.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/where-will-west-bengals-muslim-votes-go/150187-37-64.html
Celebs queue up at Kolkata polling booths
IANS | Apr 27, 2011, 05.09pm ISTBe it 'detective Feluda' or the 'prince of Calcutta', celebrities from the world of culture, sports and literature milled at the city's polling booths to cast their vote Wednesday.
Some took time off from shooting and some came early to beat the heat. They duly stood in queue to exercise their franchise in the third phase of the West Bengal assembly polls, held in Kolkata and two neighbouring districts.
Accompanied by his family members, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly - also known as the 'prince of Calcutta - went to a polling booth in the Behala area on the city's southern outskirts.
Famed archer-siblings Dola and Rahul Banerjee were among the early birds to vote in a polling station at Baranagar in North 24-Parganas district.
"Whenever I am here I make it a point to vote. And if my brother is around, we go together in the morning because then the weather is pleasant," Dola told IANS.
Actor Sabyasachi Chakroborty said: "I had my shooting today but I took time off in the morning to cast my vote and to perform my duty as a citizen of India."
He is well-known as 'Feluda', having portrayed the popular Bengali detective created by Satyajit Ray in several movies.
The father-daughter film star duo of Ranjit Mullick and Koel Mullick were all smiles as they stood in the queue outside a South Kolkata booth.
"We all want our state's development. So to choose the government of my choice I have come here to cast my vote," said Koel, a leading heroine in Bengali movies.
"It's my duty to cast my vote and this time it seems people are more alert and conscious," said her father and yesteryear hero Ranjit Mullick.
A total of 14,419,669 people in Kolkata and the neighbouring districts of North and South 24-Parganas are eligible to elect their representatives from among 479 contestants - many of them stars from the field of politics, including Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.
"In the morning I spent time with my family. I will go with my family to cast my vote," said Paoli Dam, an actress.
Sahitya Academy president and eminent writer Sunil Gangopadhyay also exercised his voting right in South Kolkata.
Polls to the 294-member assembly, which started April 18, will end May 10. The counting of votes will take place May 13.
WB: Left, TMC biggies in fray; edge for Mamata
ibnlive.comPosted on Apr 27, 2011 at 11:50am IST
New Delhi: Almost 1.5 crore voters spread across 75 Assembly seats in Kolkata, North and South 24-Parganas will vote in the crucial third phase of the West Bengal elections on Wednesday. Some of the biggest stalwarts of the Left are in the fray, including Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and 11 other state ministers. The region, however, is known to be tricky for the ruling Left Front and is expected to tilt towards Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. Mamata's camp, on the other side, also has an interesting line-up of artists, actors and economists facing the voters on Wednesday.
In an interesting contest, CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is up against his ex-colleague Manish Gupta in Jadavpur assembly constituency. Gupta, former Chief Secretary in the West Bengal government and a Trinamool Congress candidate, is banking heavily on the Mamata magic in his historic battle against the Left stalwart.
Other than Bhattacharjee, the fate of 11 other state ministers, including Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, Housing Minister Gautam Deb, Transport Minister Ranjit Kundu, Leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee, Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee, and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) secretary general Amit Mitra, will be decided in 17,792 polling booths.
At Dum Dum, CPM heavyweight Gautam Deb is pitted against theatre artiste and Trinamool candidate Bratya Basu. Similarly, Khardah in North 24-Parganas may see a pitched battle between finance minister Asim Dasgupta and ex-FICCI chief Amit Mitra. Mitra may get to play an important role in the finance and industries sector if Trinamool comes to power.
Trinamool Congress too has high stakes in this round, with the area regarded as its citadel going by the last poll results. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool and its alliance partner Socialist Unity Centre of India-Communist nominees were ahead in 66 of the 75 assembly segments.
A number of other celebrities nominated by the Trinamool -- film stars Debashree Roy, Chiranjeet (Dipak) Chakroborty, and singer Anup Ghoshal -- are also trying their luck in the third phase.
Ruling Left Front major Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) is contesting in 61 constituencies, the Forward Bloc in seven, Communist Party of India and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) in three each, Trinamool Congress in 70 and the Congress in five. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put up candidates in all the 75 constituencies, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 51.
Over 600 companies of security forces have been deployed and more than 3,000 polling stations have been identified as super sensitive. Around 1.4 lakh people have been identified as vulnerable to threats from miscreants. Polls to the 294-member assembly, which started April 18, will end May 10. The counting of votes will take place May 13.
(With inputs from agencies)
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/wb-left-tmc-biggies-in-fray-edge-for-mamata/150333-37-64.html
Mamata disastrous for West Bengal: Somnath
Priyanka Gupta , CNN-IBN
Posted on Apr 27, 2011 at 12:16pm IST
Click to play videoExpelled CPM leader Somanth Banerjee speaks to CNN-IBN about which party is better for West Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee
 *The Hindu Trinamool demands Anil Basu's arrestDaily News & Analysis - 52 minutes ago Place: Kolkata | Agency: PTI Reacting to issuance of showcase notice by Election Commission to CPI(M) leader Anil Basu for using "obscene" remarks against its chief Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress today demanded his arrest. Mamata alleges CPI(M) tried to rig booths in Jadavpur The Hindu Mamata casts her vote, flashes victory sign IBNLive.com Calcutta Telegraph - Times of India - Outlook - iNewsOne Kolkata votes today in 3rd phaseNDTV.com - 4 hours ago Kolkata and the two districts of North and South 24 Parganas - areas where Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has dominated for three years now - are voting and briskly. 78.3% turnout in West Bengal phase III polls The Hindu WB: Left, TMC biggies in fray; edge for Mamata IBNLive.com Hindustan Times - Rediff - Business Standard - Washington Bangla Radio Mamata's muscleHindustan Times - 1 hour agoMamata Banerjee says that she controls many goons and can set them on the original goon factory, the CPI(M). How the tables have turned! Mamata's West Bengal projects still on paperFinancial Express - 22 hours agoKolkata: With an one eye on the Bengal elections, Mamata Banerjee had announced 19 railway projects in the state, mostly in the heavy engineering sector, but none has taken off yet. A fine balance Sify all 2 news articles »Email this story Former Naxal with Mamata, 'Robin Hood' with CPMIndian Express - Apr 26, 2011Purnendu Bose, Trinamool candidate for Rajarhat-Gopalpur, was a Naxal leader from his youth till the Singur agitation, when he joined Mamata Banerjee. He is contesting against the CPM's Robin Mandal, sitting MLA of undivided Rajarhat. The Hindu PM talks joint govt, Mamata may not obligeIndian Express - Apr 24, 2011 ... arrangement has cropped up in the middle of elections after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh exhorted people to vote for 'Trinamool-Congress government' at a joint rally in Dum Dum on Saturday. Time for change in West Bengal, says Manmohan The Hindu Could defeat Left due to Trinamool: Pranab IBNLive.com Economic Times - Hindustan Times - Times Now.tv -Wall Street Journal (blog) all 396 news articles »Email this story Why Mamata not resign from scam-hit UPA govt, asks BJPIBNLive.com - Apr 24, 2011PTI | 09:04 PM,Apr 24,2011 Kolkata, Apr 24 (PTI) The BJP today criticised Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee for not resigning from the UPA government which, it said, is embroiled in a number of scams. "Mamata Banerjee ... BJP asks why Mamata in UPA despite scams Indian Express all 6 news articles »Email this story Want change, but not Mamata wayIndian Express - 17 hours agoBut we don't support Mamata Banerjee's high-handedness in the name of 'change'. She has fielded all the tainted candidates in this election and so we have decided to fight for change but on our own term," he says. Mamata's winning mantra: Maa's son, Mati and MatuaHindustan Times - Apr 24, 2011When Mamata Banerjee picked the youngest son of the Matua's supreme leader, Binapani Devi, as candidate from the Matua-dominated Gaighata constituency, it raised many eyebrows. Matua chief at Mamata meet Calcutta Telegraph Mamata shares dais with Matua Mahasabha supreme IBNLive.com all 5 news articles »Email this story Mamata urges electorate to vote fearlesslyIBNLive.com - Apr 26, 2011PTI | 10:04 PM,Apr 26,2011 In the campaign in Burdwan district, Banerjee referred to seven incidents of suicide by farmers in the past few months and said that it reflected the Left Front government's abject failure to address the problems of farmers. Railways wants judges to play copsTimes of India - Dhananjay Mahapatra - 18 hours agoNEW DELHI: Home minister P Chidambaram and Mamata Banerjee's railway ministry do not appear to be on the same page when it comes to judiciary taking up issues which should have been left to the executive or legislature. Sify Anil Bose remark kicks up a stormHindustan Times - Apr 24, 2011 His bosses are angry with him but CPI(M) MP Anil Bose is unfazed at the storm his remarks against Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjeekicked up. Addressing a public rally in Hooghly on Friday, Anil Bose had spoken of Banerjee and sex workers in ... Abusive Words Not a One-Sided Affair: CPI Outlook CPI-M leader's speech impermissible, but all to be blamed: BardhaniNewsOne all 14 news articles » Loose cannon runs into vile shotCalcutta Telegraph - Sujan Dutta - Apr 25, 2011 In Dum Dum, the constituency where Gautam Deb had dared Mamata Banerjee to contest, the CPM minister, himself seen as a loose cannon, may have been felled by a wayward volley from Hooghly. Sex workers bristle at MP comment Indian Express all 3 news articles » Political parties woo Matua communityBusiness Standard - Shine Jacob - 6 minutes agoWhen the Left front government tried to impress them with sops, the TMC supremoMamata Banerjee had herself became a follower and became the chief patron of the All India Matua Mahasabha in 2010.  Indian Express Mamata welcomes Chidamabaram''s criticism of law & order in WBIBNLive.com - Apr 25, 2011 PTI | 07:04 PM,Apr 25,2011 Kolkata, Apr 25 (PTI) Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today welcomed Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's sharp criticism of law and order situation in West Bengal and said that what she has been harping on ... Political violence claims 24 lives in West Bengal Economic Times Mamata Gets Singh, Chidambaram on the Trail Wall Street Journal (blog) Financial Express Bangladesh - Calcutta Telegraph ENJOY YOUR VOTECalcutta Telegraph - 18 hours ago "My voice is choked," Mamata says somewhat grumpily. But she is obviously very pleased by the turnout at Jadavpur, her bete noire's constituency. Calcutta Telegraph Actress shoots at site for them to vote rightCalcutta Telegraph - 18 hours ago A tanned and gaunt Debasree, whom Mamata Banerjee calls her weapon of "shanti (peace) against Kanti (Ganguly)", shares with Metro her diary from the day her mentor first called to offer a ticket till her last night of waiting for the vote that counts. 'Witch' plays on CPM MLA's lipsCalcutta Telegraph - 18 hours agoChinsurah, April 26: Don't hand over the government to a "daini (witch)", a CPM leader said today, days after former MP Anil Basu drew flak from the party for his outburst againstMamata Banerjee. Addressing a rally in Saptagram, from where he is ...  Indian Express Didi calling, IT hub sees farmers move back in, grow cropsIndian Express - Apr 24, 2011 Union Railways Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee addressing an election campaign rally at Gobardanga. BBC News Mamata Banerjee rejects allegations of black moneyDaily News & Analysis - Apr 19, 2011 Place: Khardah (West Bengal) | Agency: PTI Rejecting the CPI(M)'s allegations that her party was using black money to fund the election campaign, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today said that the Left party was indulging in mudslinging. The making of Mamata Banerjee Hindustan Times Congress riding piggyback: Mamata Banerjee Economic Times Times Now.tv - Times of India - Indian Express - IBNLive.com | Images The Hindu The Hindu The Hindu Hindustan Times Sify Calcutta Telegr... Indian Express Calcutta Telegr... Calcutta Telegr... All related ima |
A practical test for economists' theories
Khardah: In the rough and tumble of Assembly polls, CPI(M)'s Asim Dasgupta and Trinamool Congress' Amit Mitra cross theoretical swords in Khardah.
Earlier, they would often meet in air-conditioned conference halls buzzing with discussions on taxation and economy. These days they are more likely to run into each other in the heat and dust of Khardah, an unlikely intellectual hotspot in the rough and tumble of West Bengal Assembly polls, but studiously avoid crossing each other's path.
Twenty-five kilometers from Kolkata, Khardah, which goes to polls on April 27, is host to the battle of the economists: Amit Mitra and Asim Dasgupta. Not surprisingly, it's a battle of theories out there.
Mitra, who did his masters in economics from the Delhi School of Economics and PhD from the Duke University, USA, went into teaching before moving back to India where he eventually became the secretary-general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, or Ficci.
Under Mitra, the industry lobby rediscovered its voice and became a worthy rival to the Confederation of Indian Industry which in the 1990s had got used to setting the industry's agenda in its parleys with the government.
After Mamata Banerjee became railway minister, Mitra came to be identified as her trusted advisor. Since he threw his hat in the Khardah ring, he has been thought of as the state's finance-minister-in-waiting.
Asim Dasgupta, in the other corner, is no lightweight. A doctoral student of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he was helped by an economist no less than Paul A Samuelson in establishing that there was not necessarily a contradiction between growth and equity.
In this bout, Dasgupta is the defending champion, in the sense that he has been the state's finance minister since 1987 in the CPI(M) government.
During the 34 years of the Left Front rule, West Bengal may have achieved equity to some extent, but has faltered in achieving growth. This Assembly elections, the Opposition has made the plight of the state's finances a major issue, and Dasgupta's thesis of growth with equity is now being put through a practical test.
Dogged by high revenue and fiscal deficits, high committed expenditure and high debt compared to revenue receipts, West Bengal is nearing a debt trap. In the current year (2010-11), the state's accumulated debt stood at Rs 1.86 lakh crore, compared with Rs 1.92 lakh crore in the previous year.
The state's debt burden increased 29 per cent last year (Rs 1,48,110 crore in 2008-09). As much as 85 per cent of the state's revenue receipts have to be spent on committed expenditure such as salaries, interest payments and subsidies, leaving little room for expenditure on development projects.
But Dasgupta has answers, backed by numbers, and dismisses the claim that the state is nearing a debt trap. At Khardah, flanked by a group of self-help group women, he says: "They are our strength."
The state government last year decided to invest more than Rs 250 crore, up from Rs 162 crore in the previous year, in small scale industries. According to the National Sample Survey (2005-06), West Bengal tops the list in the number of small scale industries in India with 2.753 million. The number of employees in these units is 5.493 million.
For West Bengal, small savings is a big source of funding, and the state has been asking the Centre not to consider it as debt. If conceded, this will, in a flash, dilute the debt column in the state's books. Even under the current norms, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have higher debt than West Bengal.
"If you see the debt burden component, of the Rs 1.86 lakh crore, Rs 78,000 crore is from small savings. The Centre passes the small savings as loan. We are discussing the situation with the Centre. It is their rule, and they need to change it," says Dasgupta.
The Opposition, dismissing Dasgupta as one who is living in a state of denial, has prepared a 200-day revival plan for state's finances. The plan includes a "deep" focus on medium and small industries, revival of state public sector units and private investment.
However, this plan, too, hinges on the same thing that Dasgupta is hoping for: A bailout by the Centre. But a Trinamool government in the state, given the criticality of the party's 19 MPS to the United Progressive Alliance, may be seen as the more likely to have its way with New Delhi.
"In the short term, when Mamata Banerjee becomes the chief minister, she will talk to Pranab Mukherjee for a short-term relief. The Centre and the state will cooperate under Mamata Banerjee and Pranab Mukherjee's leadership, who is also from Bengal. There are great hopes for this partnership. Certainly short-term measures can be taken to get temporary relief through a collaborative approach," Mitra says.
For the Left Front, the Centre's "deprivation" of the state is the reason for the state of Bengal's finances. "They are not doing charity, this is our legitimate share," Dasgupta says about the Centre's debt relief schemes.
The state has been asking for a raise in the share of funds under the 13th Finance Commission from 32 per cent to 50 per cent. "West Bengal is one of the few states which decided to take the entire responsibility of giving salaries to all teachers. No other state does it. With the Sixth Pay Commission's revision, there has been a financial burden on the state," says Dasgupta.
At Khardah, Mitra has been sweating it out, literally. The 63-year old, having discarded the lobbyist's pinstripes for dhoti and an occasional Panama hat, walks almost six hours a day going from one household to another.
"In the short and medium term, the resurgence of Bengal's economy will automatically take care of the state's finances," he says.
The other ace up Mitra'a kurta sleeve is reopening of the 68,000 closed factories. "About 68,000 factories are closed in Bengal. The Left Front government had a confrontational approach. If you adopt a win-win approach for the workers and the owners, some of the factories could reopen. For small and medium enterprises, too, there is an inspector raj, which will improve," he says.
Interestingly, Banerjee's tirades against globalisation, big capital, disinvestment policies and privatisation, are not exactly in tune with what Mitra has been advocating as an industry lobbyist. Mitra, however, sees no conflict. "It is a wrong notion that Trinamool Congress is against industry and globalisation. The party is against companies who come and try setting up factories through eviction of farmers."
If Dasgupta is to be believed, the Left will have the last word. "This is not the last time that we are meeting," he says, looking too composed for the madness around him.
Source: Business Standard
West Bengal polls peaceful, 80% turnout
Kolkata:More than 80 percent voters exercised their franchise as voting came to a close in 50 constituencies spread over three districts in the second phase of West Bengal assembly polls Saturday.
"Above 80 percent of polling has been recorded. The figure will go up as many people had queued up at the booths when the scheduled time of polling got over at 5 p.m.," said Dibyendu Sarkar, state joint chief electoral officer.
A record 84.11 percent turnout was witnessed in the first phase of polls covering 54 constituencies in north Bengal April 18.
Enthusiasm was high among first-time voters as also the old-timers, and women outnumbered men in many booths that saw long queues since balloting opened at 7 a.m.
Over 93 lakh voters at 11,531 polling stations spread over Murshidabad, Nadia and Birbhum districts are casting votes to elect their representatives from among 293 candidates. Murshidabad has 22 seats, Nadia 17 and Birbhum 11.
"Till 3 p.m., 65 percent of voters have exercised their rights," Joint Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Sarkar told IANS.
After the record 84.11 percent turnout in the first phase of elections - for 54 constituencies in six north Bengal districts April 18 - the poll juggernaut has now rolled on to South Bengal, which holds the key to government formation as over 80 percent of the seats are located in this region.
While overall voting proceeded smoothly, there were a few minor untoward incidents, and three people were arrested for violence and irregularity. A polling agent of a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) candidate in Murshidabad was taken into custody after postal ballots were found in his possession, said an election officer.
Workers of the CPI-M and the Congress clashed outside a polling station at Beldanga of Murhisdabad district, leading to two arrests.
A presiding officer in Ranaghat South constituency in Nadia district was replaced for influencing voters inside the polling station and another officer in Bharatpur constituency in Murshidabad district was replaced after he fell ill.
"In Birbhum, 64 percent of polling was recorded, while in Murshidabad 68 and Nadia 64 percent of the people have voted so far," Sarkar said. In some polling stations voting was delayed for a few minutes due to malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVM). At least 65 EVMs have been replaced so far in three districts, said Sarkar.
The CPI-M-led ruling Left Front faces its biggest ever challenge in its 34 years of rule from the Trinamool Congress-Congress combine.
Prominent candidates whose fate is being decided include CPI-M leader and state minister Anisur Rehman, union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's son Avijit Mukherjee who is contesting on a Congress ticket, and former high court judge and Trinamool Congress nominee Nure Alam Chowdhury.
Rukbanur Rahman, brother of computer graphics teacher Rizwanur Rahman who was killed a month after he married the daughter of Kolkata-based industrialist Ashok Todi, and Baul (folk) singer Parikkhit Bala are also in the race as Trinamool Congress nominees.
The CPI-M has fielded candidates in 31 seats, while its Left Front partners Revolutionary Socialist Party, Forward Bloc and Communist Party of India are contesting in nine, five and one seat respectively, leaving three other seats to other minor parties.
The Trinamool is in the race in 29 and the Congress in 21 constituencies. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting in all the 50 constituencies. Armed security personnel have been posted in and around the polling booths across the three districts to ensure free and fair polls.
A total of 488 companies of central police forces have been deployed in the second phase of assembly poll, Sarkar said. The last four phases of the state's assembly polls will be held April 27 (75 constituencies), May 3 (63), May 7 (38) and May 10 (14).
The votes for the 294 seats will be counted May 13.
West Bengal law and order a grave concern: Manmohan
Launching a frontal attack on the ruling Left Front government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said the law and order situation in West Bengal is a matter of "grave concern" and called for a change to give a fresh lease of life to the state.
"The law and order situation in the state is a matter of grave concern. If the Congress-Trinamool Congress combine comes to power after the elections, its first task would be to bring peace and all-round development," the Prime Minister told an election rally here.
Observing that the state has slipped into the morass in 'all fields,' -- agriculture, industry, investment, health and education, he said, "The chariot of the administration has come to a halt in the state. It is now time for a change. Only a Congress-Trinamool Congress government can give a fresh lease of life to the state."
The Prime Minister said the Left Front government lacked vision and had no concrete policy on agriculture and industry. "The state government has lost the confidence of investors and the people."
He said West Bengal, which once occupied an important place in industry, now lagged behind many states.
"I have come here with the message of Sonia Gandhi to elect the Congress-Trinamool Congress government in Bengal to give an opportunity to serve you. You have given the Left Front an opportunity for 34 years, but it failed to deliver," Dr. Singh said.
Source: IANS & PTI
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