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As the final five phases of polls draw closer, rift among <keyword id="20101713" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INDIA-bloc-partners" source="keywords">INDIA bloc partners</keyword>, <keyword id="21533469" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress-Left-combine" source="keywords">Congress-Left combine</keyword> and the <keyword id="19942089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TMC" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="TMC" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="TMC">TMC</keyword>, which are fighting separately has intensified, triggering a fierce contest across half of the remaining 36 constituencies in West Bengal driven by local issues such as <keyword id="20074422" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sandeshkhali" source="keywords">Sandeshkhali</keyword> and the SSC scam. TMC's decision to contest independently in the state, rather than as part of the bloc, has led to a three-way contest, with the other contenders being the BJP and the Congress-Left alliance. Nevertheless, both TMC and Congress have asserted that they are part of the INDIA bloc at the national level and are authentic representatives of the opposition front in Bengal. Political analysts suggest that without a dominant national narrative like national security after the 2019 Pulwama attacks, local concerns such as corruption allegations, the cancellation of School Service Commission (SSC) jobs, incidents in Sandeshkhali and implementation of the <keyword id="19965573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Citizenship-Amendment-Act" source="keywords">Citizenship Amendment Act</keyword> (CAA) are altering election dynamics. Maidul Islam, a political scientist at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, remarked, "Till a few months ago, it seemed the elections in Bengal will be a bipolar contest between the TMC and BJP. But with issues like corruption and Sandeshkhali gaining prominence, the Left-Congress alliance is fast gaining traction in several seats and turning the polls into a three-cornered contest in at least 18-20 LS segments." He said besides the two and three seats in Malda and Murshidabad districts, where TMC and Congress secured two each and the BJP one in 2019, there are 13 seats spread across South Bengal, where the TMC and the Left-Congress alliance are engaging in intense competition. "It's not that the Left-Congress will win many seats, but in segments where their vote share is above 10 per cent, there is a likelihood that they might influence the outcome, to the disadvantage of either the TMC or the BJP, if they manage to secure two per cent more votes," Islam added. According to sources in TMC and CPI(M), the electoral battleground extends beyond Malda and Murshidabad, encompassing Lok Sabha segments like Dum Dum, Srerampore, Arambagh, Hooghly, Howrah, Barrackpore, Bardhaman-Purba, Bardhaman-Durgapur, Bankura, Purulia, Tamluk, Kolkata North, and Jadavpur, all poised for a three-cornered fight. Notably, eight of these seats were won by TMC and the remaining by BJP in the 2019 parliamentary polls. "The shift in dynamics presents the Congress-Left alliance as a significant player, and its emergence complicates the electoral narrative, transcending the conventional TMC versus BJP dichotomy," political analyst Subhomoy Moitra said. While the Left Front is contesting 30 seats, the Congress has fielded candidates in 12 out of 42 seats. "We wanted an alliance with the Congress, but they were delaying the seat-sharing arrangements, so we decided to go alone. Now the Left-Congress alliance is helping the BJP by trying to eat into our votes," remarked TMC leader Santanu Sen. According to TMC leaders, the breakup of INDIA alliance in Bengal has both electoral advantages and disadvantages. "After the Left and Congress alliance fell apart in West Bengal in 2019, it had led to a four-cornered contest with BJP bagging the entire chunk of the anti-TMC votes in the state," they said. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP bagged 18 seats and its vote share rose from 17 to 40 per cent. Meanwhile, despite a 3 per cent rise in vote share, the TMC lost 12 seats, dropping from 34 to 22. The Left drew a blank with a vote share decline from 24 per cent to 6 per cent, and the Congress lost two seats, shrinking its vote share from 9.5 per cent to 5 per cent and bagging just two seats. "Local issues such as corruption and SSC scam are helping the Left-Congress in the state as there is anger among a section of people against the TMC and also against the BJP over the perception of a tacit understanding," a TMC leader said. Analysts observe that <keyword id="43868" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mamata-banerjee" source="Orion">Mamata Banerjee</keyword>'s intensified criticism of Left and Congress, accusing them of aiding BJP, and the ensuing sharp responses from CPI(M) and Congress, alleging a secret pact between TMC and BJP, as indicative of the growing significance of Left-Congress alliance. Data from various local elections and by-polls conducted after 2021 assembly elections indicate a shift in anti-TMC votes as there has been a resurgence of Left-Congress combine. Incidentally, the BJP had witnessed a decline in its vote share as compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha and 38 per cent in 2021 assembly polls. In 2023, violence scarred panchayat polls which covered nearly 70 per cent of the state's electorate, the TMC had bagged 51 per cent of votes whereas the BJP had bagged 22 per cent. The Left-Congress-ISF alliance had, however, bagged 23 per cent votes. The ISF this time, however, has decided to contest alone in 17 seats. Congress leader Suvankar Sarkar emphasized, "People are disenchanted with the TMC and the BJP, as they are both sides of the same coin. People are coming out in large numbers to support the Left-Congress candidates." CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty expressed confidence in the Left-Congress alliance's potential to deliver surprising results in the elections, claiming initial success in breaking bipolar politics in Bengal. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar downplayed the significance of the rift in opposition alliance and the three-cornered fight in various seats. "People know that BJP is only fighting TMC's misrule in Bengal. Those who want to vote against TMC, will vote for us only just like in the 2019 and 2021 polls," he said. Political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty suggested that TMC stands to gain the most from the three-cornered contest. In minority pockets, the Left-Congress alliance could dent TMC's vote base, potentially aiding BJP's prospects, he noted.

West Bengal Elections: Rift among INDIA bloc partners triggers three-cornered intense contests

New Delhi, The <keyword id="6466153" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="congress-high-command">Congress high command</keyword> has given its nod for an <keyword id="6365866" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alliance">alliance</keyword> with Left parties for <keyword id="10469457" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-west-bengal-assembly">the West Bengal Assembly</keyword> election next year. <keyword id="181147" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengal-Congress">Bengal Congress</keyword> President <keyword id="10489633" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="adhir-ranjan-chowdhry">Adhir Ranjan Chowdhry</keyword> said, "Today the Congress High command has formally approved the electoral alliance with the Left parties for the impending election in <keyword id="6357783" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-bengal">West Bengal</keyword>." In the last polls in 2016, the Congress fought in alliance with the Left parties and secured 44 seats to emerge as the second <keyword id="1285069" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="largest-party">largest party</keyword>. However, half of its MLAs have since joined the Trinamool. However, it is not clear how many seats the Congress will contest but party sources say Congress wants a fair share in the seat sharing agreement. Bengal Congress in-charge Jitin Prasada said talks on seat sharing will begin but the party will fight with full force to restore the pride of Bengal which is being "destroyed by the BJP and TMC". In Bengal, the Congress faces a formidable challenge from the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP, which is fast emerging as a force to reckon with in the poll-bound state. The 294-member Bengal Assembly will go to the polls next year. While the Trinamool Congress has the challenge to retain power, the Congress also has to retain its ground in the state. The Congress is also up against an upbeat BJP which has made inroads in the state after winning 18 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general election. The Congress was in a dilemma over whether to go with the Left or the Trinamool. But its state leaders have been talking to the Left informally and holding programmes in the state simultaneously. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-mrs-bectors-ril-bharti-airtel-vodafone-idea-ilfs-interglobe-aviation-future-group-deepak-nitrite-jubilant-foodworks-and-others/articleshow/79933826.cms">Top stocks to watch – Mrs Bectors, RIL, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, IL&amp;FS, InterGlobe Aviation, Future Group, Deepak Nitrite, Jubilant FoodWorks, and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/india-will-have-to-pay-cairn-1-2-billion-ending-one-of-the-biggest-tax-disputes-of-the-decade/articleshow/79934284.cms">India will have to pay Cairn $1.2 billion ending one of the biggest tax disputes of the decade</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/mrs-bectors-food-ipo-investors-saw-their-money-double-on-listing-day/articleshow/79934860.cms">Mrs Bector’s Food IPO investors saw their money double on listing day</a>

Congress sealed alliance with Left parties for West Bengal Assembly elections

The <keyword id="58687" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP) has released a list of '<keyword id="6457266" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="star-campaigners">Star Campaigners</keyword>' for <keyword id="6357783" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-bengal">West Bengal</keyword> and Assam Assembly polls. Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> will lead the party's campaign in both the states. Actor Mithun Chakraborty, who joined the BJP at the Prime Minister's rally on Sunday, has been made one of the star campaigners of the party in West Bengal. On March 9, in a letter to the <keyword id="6359191" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="election">Election</keyword> Commission, BJP National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha member Arun Singh submitted the list of 40 star campaigners to the poll body. "List of leaders of the BJP who would be participating in election campaigning pertaining to the Assembly elections in the state of West Bengal (Phase-I)," Singh wrote. Similarly, Singh also submitted a list of star campaigners for Assam Assembly polls. Apart from Modi and Chakravorty, BJP's list of star campaigners for West Bengal includes party chief J.P. Nadda, Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Arjun Munda, <keyword id="197418" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dharmendra-Pradhan">Dharmendra Pradhan</keyword>, Smriti Irani and Babul Supriyo. These apart, chief ministers <keyword id="43254" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yogi-Adityanath">Yogi Adityanath</keyword> and Shivraj Singh Chouhan would also seek votes for BJP candidates in West Bengal. Others names include Manoj Tiwari, Locket Chatterjee, Roopa Ganguly, Shanawaz Hussain. Kailash Vijayvargiya, Dilip Ghosh, Suvendu Adhikari, Rajib Banerjee, Arvind Menon, Amit Malviya. Actress Payal Sarkar and Srabanti Chatterjee, who recently joined the BJP, have also been made star campaigners of the party in West Bengal. In a separate list of start campaigners for Assam, the BJP named Modi, Nadda, Shah, Gadkari, B.L. Santosh, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Himanta Biswa Sarma, state President Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Narednra Singh Tomar, Jitendra Singh, Irani, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur chief ministers Prema Khandu and N. Biren Singh, Yogi Adityanath and Chouhan. Names of local leaders are also included in the list of star campaigners in Assam along with Poonam Mahajan, Tiwari and Ravi Kishan. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/checkout-review-of-oppo-fitness-band-related-to-design-performance-price-and-battery-life/articleshow/81423414.cms">Oppo Band Style review – getting the basics right with a twist of flair</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/narendra-modi-joe-biden-yoshihide-suga-and-scott-morrison-are-set-to-meet-for-the-first-ever-quad-leaders-summit-on-march-12/articleshow/81424117.cms">The first-ever leaders summit of the QUAD may be another signal that it's ready for something more formal</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/how-to-check-share-allotment-status-of-mtar-technologies-ipo/articleshow/81424102.cms">MTAR Technologies IPO: Here is how to check share allotment status</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/tcs-cfo-explains-how-the-role-of-a-finance-head-has-been-changed-by-the-pandemic/articleshow/81423884.cms">EXCLUSIVE: TCS CFO explains how the role of a finance head has been changed by the pandemic</a>

Actor Mithun Chakraborty one of BJP's 'star campaigners' in Bengal assembly elections

<keyword id="5269" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chief-Minister">Chief Minister</keyword> and Trinamool Congress chairperson <keyword id="43868" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mamata-Banerjee">Mamata Banerjee</keyword> on Friday released her partys candidate list for all 294 seats in the <keyword id="332351" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengal-assembly">Bengal Assembly</keyword>. "I have given importance to young people this time while choosing the name of candidates. They all are young people," Banerjee said. It appeared to be a star-studded affair as the <keyword id="201042" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Trinamool-chief">Trinamool chief</keyword> accommodated a slew of Bengali film and television industry representatives in the party's candidate list for the upcoming elections in March-April. Banerjee said that she will contest from East Midnapore's Nandigram this time. "I will contest from Nandigram. I keep my promises," she said while releasing the list here at her Kalighat residence. State power minister and Trinamool Congress veteran Sovandeb Chatterjee will contest from Bhawanipore seat as Mamata chose to contest from Nandigram. Former Trinamool Councilor and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)'s Member of Mayor in council (MMiC) Debashis Kumar will contest from Rashbihari seat, in place of Chatterjee. The Trinamool supremo also fielded actor Kanchan Mallick, who had joined the Trinamool Congress a few days back, from Hooghly's Uttarpara; Soham Chakraborty from Chandipur; director Raj Chakraborty from Barrackpore; actress Sayantika from Bankura; actress June Malliah from Midnapore sadar; actress Sayani Ghosh from Asansol south; cricketer Manoj Tiwari from Howrah's Shibpur and Kaushani Mukherjee from Krishnanagar north assembly constituency. West Bengal will go to polls in eight phases between March 27 and April 29. Counting of votes will take place on May 2. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-find-my-stalking-airtags-item-safety-alerts/articleshow/81342449.cms">Apple’s new Find My feature updated to prevent stalking as launch of the rumoured AirTags nears</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/regulating-digital-news-is-important-but-freedom-of-press-is-precious/articleshow/81341289.cms">OPINION: Regulating digital news is important but freedom of press is precious</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/heranba-industries-ipo-makes-a-bumper-debut-on-stock-exchanges/articleshow/81342578.cms?upcaceh=2">Heranba Industries makes a bumper debut on stock exchanges — shares soar 44% over the issue price band</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/ignore-low-cibil-score-for-street-vendor-loans-work-on-holidays-and-other-diktats-from-indian-government-to-banks-rushing-to-meet-march-target/articleshow/81223572.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Bankers may be working all 31 days of March with the government looking to double the loans doled out under the PM SVANidhi scheme</a>

Mamata Banerjee releases TMC's candidate list for Bengal elections

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari beats Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee by 1,736 votes in Nandigram. This is a developing story

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West Bengal Elections: Rift among INDIA bloc partners triggers three-cornered intense contests

PTI

Congress sealed alliance with Left parties for West Bengal Assembly elections

IANS

Actor Mithun Chakraborty one of BJP's 'star campaigners' in Bengal assembly elections

IANS

Mamata Banerjee releases TMC's candidate list for Bengal elections

IANS

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari beats Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee by 1,736 votes in Nandigram

BI India Bureau

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