Bengal assembly Assembly elections: Mamata Banerjee has issues with Jai Shri Ram, is losing in Nandigram, says PM Modi

PM Modi extends greetings to people of Jordan on centennial anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings on 100th anniversary of the founding of the state of Jordan. He said India and Jordan will continue to walk side by side to work together for better future of all humanity. "India and Jordan are united in belief that moderation and peaceful co-existence are essential for peace and prosperity. We will continue to walk side by side in our joint efforts for a better future for all humanity," said PM Modi.

'6th edition of Raisina Dialogue taking place at watershed moment in human history': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed at the inaugural session of Raisina Dialogue 2021 via video conference on April 13. While addressing the event, PM Modi said that, amid COVID-19 pandemic, the 6th edition of Raisina Dialogue is taking place at a watershed moment in human history. "A global pandemic has been ravaging the world for over a year. The last such global pandemic was a century ago. Although, humanity has faced many infectious diseases since then. The world today is underprepared to handle the COVID pandemic. Our scientists, researchers and industries have answered some questions. Many solutions have emerged and many more are yet to come," PM added.

I'll leave politics, will you do sit-ups: Mamata to PM Modi over his Matua community jibe

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reacted on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'didi did nothing for Matua community' remark. CM Banerjee challenged PM Modi by saying if she hasn't done anything for 'Matua community' then she will "quite the politics". "Narendra Modi said at a meeting in Krishnanagar that Mamata didi did nothing for Matua community. I'm publicly asking him to accept the challenge, if I haven't done anything for them then I will leave politics, if you are lying then you will do sit-ups holding ears," she said. The fifth phase of Bengal polls are scheduled to be held on April 17.

Farmers in Singur find themselves in Catch-22 situation

Singur, once the hotbed of political dynamics in West Bengal now bears the melancholy of farmers who ended up being in a Catch-22 situation. Even after getting back their land after Tata Motors' exit, Singur farmers stand clueless as land is turning barren. They are looking forward to getting a solution between industry and agriculture. Even after a decade has passed since the project was suspended, leaving 997.11 acres barren in Singur, the area is still known as 'Tata Nano factory'. It consists of three panchayats namely Kejidi, Gopalnogor and Beraberi. Now farmers carry out potato farming in some portions of this land in small quantity. The protest commenced due to forced land acquisition by the then Left Front government for building Tata Motors car industry. The stir of 2006 in Singur soon turned into a historic anti-land acquisition movement by the farmers that received foremost support from Trinamool Congress and later by other political parties and intellectuals crossing state as well as international borders. The movement ended in 2011. Singur anti-land acquisition movement is one of two major movements that propelled Mamata Banerjee-led TMC to dethrone the 34 years old mighty Left Front rule from Bengal. The other movement that was instrumental to pave the way for the TMC government was the 2007 Nandigram agitation. The snatched land was given back to the farmers legally in 2016 after Supreme Court's verdict. However, the major concern of farmers now remains how to make the land cultivable. Probir Patro, one of the many whose land was snatched during the agitation received it back after SC's order in 2016, however, he is in a 'Catch 22' situation now. Despite having their own land the farmers cultivate on other's land for livelihood. Along with this another section of farmers coexist in Singur who calls themselves 'farmers of yesteryears' and currently have settled for other means of livelihood, through which they somehow manage to earn their day-to-day meal. Against the two heavyweights, CPI(M) has fielded 28-year-old Srijan Bhattacharya as its candidate from Singur. The candidates here have vowed for industrialisation, development as well as agriculture while addressing their public meetings.

Can you tolerate 'Har Har Mahadev'?: PM Modi to CM Mamata on 'contesting from Varanasi'

With yet another jibe, Prime Minister in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas asked how Chief Minister Mamata is going to tolerate 'Har Har Mahadev' slogans in Varansi, where she is "planning to contest elections", when 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans irk her. "Didi's party says that she will contest from Varanasi, which makes two things clear -- that she has accepted her defeat in Bengal and that Didi has started a search for her space outside Bengal," said PM Narendra Modi in Sonarpur. He added, "People of Varanasi are as kind-hearted as people of Bengal. But you (Mamata Banerjee) will meet so many people with vermillion and 'choti'. 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan irritates you, but you will have to hear 'Har Har Mahadev' every 2 minutes. What will you do then?"

West Bengal polls: Rajnath Singh’s ‘khela hobe’ remark; Mamata’s request to EC

In a politically befitting reply to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's 'Khela Hobe' challenge to Bharatiya Janata Party, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing a rally in the Balurghat constituency of West Bengal's Dakshin Dinajpur district, said that the state will witness 'Khela' of development and peace soon if people vote the party to power. Addressing his first rally in the poll-bound state this season, Singh promised that the game will happen. "Mamata didi is saying Bengal mein Khela Hobe? I want to say Khela hobe, nishchay hobe, vikas ka khela hobe, shanti ka khela hobe, ab to Paschim Bengal mein bada khela hobe (I promise that game of development and peace will definitely be played, now. There will be a big game in West Bengal)," Singh told an applauding crowd amidst chants of Jai Shree Ram. Singh also warned Mamata Banerjee of the change that Bengal is witnessing and said that days of bullying and bossing around are over. Watch the full video for more details.

Watch: Clash breaks out during Dilip Ghosh's roadshow in Bardhaman

Clash broke out between BJP and TMC workers during a roadshow of party state president Dilip Ghosh's in West Bengal's Bardhaman on April 13. Party workers of BJP, TMC pelted stones at each other. TMC Party office was also vandalised. Police rushed to the spot and handled the situation. The fifth and sixth phases of the ongoing Assembly elections in the state will take place on April 17 and April 22. Counting of votes will take place on May 02.

Clubhouse leaks: Is BJP winning Bengal? PM Modi's popularity. A pollster's take on the row

Poll strategist and TMC advisor Prashant Kishor's chat with a few journalists about the electoral battle in West Bengal has sparked a storm. The Bharatiya Janata Party released snippets of the conversation which was conducted on the Clubhouse app. BJP claimed that Kishor admitted that in TMC's internal surveys, the saffron party is winning. The election strategist hit back, asking BJP to release the full conversation, and reiterating that the party won't even cross the 100-mark in polls. So which side is accurately describing the ground situation? Watch CVoter founder and psephologist Yashwant Deshmukh decode dynamics of the Bengal battle.