<ul><li>BJP’s <keyword id="1692903" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharati-Ghosh">Bharati Ghosh</keyword> is contesting from West Bengal's Debra Assembly constituency.</li><li>Ghosh, a former IPS officer with 23 years in service, has 19 criminal charges against her.</li><li>She is contesting against Trinamool Congress candidate Humayun Kabir, who is also a former IPS officer.</li></ul>Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) state vice president, Bharati Ghosh who is contesting from West Bengal's Debra Assembly constituency, has an impressive bank balance with declared assets worth ₹19 crore making her the wealthiest politician contesting from West Bengal (WB). But, she also has a lofty list of <a href="https://adrindia.org/content/west-bengal-assembly-elections-2021-phase-ii-analysis-criminal-background-financial">criminal charges</a> against her that amount to 19 in total (53 serious Indian Penal Code [IPC] charges and 56 other IPC charges) and no conviction. Of these, she has 12 charges under IPC Section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 5 charges under IPC Section-307 (related to attempt to murder), 4 charges under IPC Section-354 (related to assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 2 charges under IPC Section-468 (related to forgery for the purpose of cheating), among many others. One of the 19 female candidates from WB out of 171, Ghosh is a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who was in service from January 1994 to Dec 2017. A decorated police officer, Ghosh was the police chief for over six years in West Midnapore. During this time she was instrumental in capturing Maoist leaders like Koteswar Rao and containing Maoism in general. However, she retired <a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-wb-bjp-candidate-bharati-ghosh-moves-sc-seeking-stay-of-arrest-warrant-against-her/376583">two days after</a> she was transferred by Mamata Banerjee to a comparatively less alluring post as the commandant of a battalion of the State Armed Police in Barrackpore on December 26, 2017. She has also worked in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police and had a brief stint at the United Nations under various capacities and had <a href="https://www.ibtimes.co.in/who-bharati-ghosh-harvard-educated-un-peacekeeper-went-being-mamata-banerjees-cop-daughter-759233">won</a> six medals during her time there. Her impressive educational background includes a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Jadavpur University, bachelor’s in law from Burdwan University, and has studied at Harvard University and the London School of Economics. Ghosh eventually fell out of her close association with Mamata Banerjee and joined the BJP in 2019. Ghosh contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Ghatal constituency the same year. At the time, there was a rather infamous <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/bharati-ghosh-in-row-caught-saying-will-drag-tmc-men-out-beat-them-up-like-dogs-5710743/">incident</a> that occurred when in response to Ghosh's bold statement that she will bring goons from Uttar Pradesh to "drag TMC men out, beat them up like dogs,” she was accosted by an angry TMC mob a few weeks later that led her to scale the walls of a temple and seek <a href="https://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/bricks-for-bharati-1502755203.html">refuge</a> at the Keshpur police station. She apparently made this statement on hearing TMC workers in Anandapur village (in Medinipur) were hindering people from voting in the Lok Sabha elections. In a separate incident, two days before polling began in Ghatal, her car was stopped and the police seized ₹1,13,815 in cash that according to Trinamool was perhaps going to be used to incentivise the people to vote for her. Ghosh, however, lost that election to Trinamool Congress candidate Deepak Adhikari (alias Dev) by a margin of 107,973 votes. Earlier this month, Ghosh moved the Supreme Court to seek a stay of an arrest warrant against her and to quash the FIRs against her in connection with the 2019 Lok Sabha poll violence case for alleged voluntary causing hurt, wrongful restraint and attempt to murder. The Supreme Court <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/elections/west-bengal-assembly/arrest-warrant-against-bharati-ghosh-to-be-kept-in-abeyance-sc/article34025625.ece">granted</a> the stay till the conclusion of the West Bengal Assembly Elections. She maintains that these are all "false" cases being used as a tool to prevent her from pursuing her political career. In <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bengal-saw-693-cases-of-violence-during-2019-lok-sabha-polls/articleshow/81321892.cms">total</a>, there were 693 poll violence incidents and 11 deaths, in the state, during the 2019 general elections. This year, Ghosh is contesting against Trinamool Congress candidate Humayun Kabir, who is also a former IPS officer. However, unlike Ghosh, he does not have any active legal cases against him. The former police commissioner of Chandernagore, Kabir, joined TMC in February, this year. Kabir was the one who ordered the <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/humayun-kabir-ex-ips-officer-who-ordered-arrest-of-bjp-men-over-slogans-joins-trinamool-2366633">arrest</a> of three BJP members who were trying to incite disquiet by raising the slogan "Goli Maaro..." during a rally held by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, in January 2021. Miffed BJP members accused Kabir of being partisan to the Trinamool Congress because his wife, Anindita Das, is also a member of the party. However, Kabir resigned from his post a few days after the incident and joined the Trinamool Congress in February 2021. Ghosh may have had an impressive career trajectory but it is yet to be seen whether the burden of the criminal charges against her will dampen her political aspirations. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/6-out-10-highest-income-candidates-in-west-bengals-phase-2-election-are-fighting-from-one-of-indias-most-backward-districts/slidelist/81701447.cms">6 out 10 highest income candidates in West Bengal’s phase 2 election are fighting from one of India's most backward districts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/checkout-the-list-of-bjp-tmc-and-congress-candidate-names-in-first-phase-west-bengal-election/articleshow/81704142.cms">The entire list and exciting facts about the 30 assembly constituencies going to polls in West Bengal on March 27</a>

Bharati Ghosh, BJP's West Bengal contestant from Debra, has a robust bank balance along with a rather long rap sheet

Legendary <keyword id="1520" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cricketer">cricketer</keyword> <keyword id="6354267" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sachin-tendulkar">Sachin Tendulkar</keyword> has tested <keyword id="6439681" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="positive">positive</keyword> for COVID-19 and is currently in home isolation, according to sources close to the family. Tendulkar is one of the biggest names to have tested positive for the virus in recent times. "Sachin has got himself tested and the report has come out positive. He has isolated himself and is following all the necessary protocols," a source close to family told on Saturday. The COVID-19 cases have been on a surge in <keyword id="13126" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</keyword> and Mumbai with over 36,000 positive cases recorded on Friday. Tendulkar recently took part in the Road Safety World Series Challenge veteran's tournament in <keyword id="45327" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raipur">Raipur</keyword>. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/bjp-candidate-bharati-ghosh-who-is-contesting-from-west-bengals-debra-assembly-constituency-has-an-impressive-bank-balance/articleshow/81705273.cms">Bharati Ghosh, BJP's West Bengal contestant from Debra, has a robust bank balance along with a rather long rap sheet</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/checkout-the-list-of-bjp-tmc-and-congress-candidate-names-in-first-phase-west-bengal-election/articleshow/81704142.cms">The entire list and exciting facts about the 30 assembly constituencies going to polls in West Bengal on March 27</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/government-mandates-companies-to-disclose-cryptocurrency-holdings-from-april-1/articleshow/81704174.cms">Indian companies will have to disclose cryptocurrency holdings from April 1 – industry insiders welcome decision</a>

Sachin Tendulkar tests positive for COVID-19

<keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> reported 62,258 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, highest single-day spike since October, 2020, taking the <keyword id="9047706" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="total-tally">total tally</keyword> to 1,19,08,910 on Saturday. India has shown a steep rise since March 16 (24,492), March 24 (47,262), and March 26 (59,118). Cases have been increasing over the two weeks in leaps and bounds. According to the <keyword id="46535" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Health-ministry">Health Ministry</keyword>, Maharashtra and Punjab are turning out to be a major contributors. The <keyword id="6357307" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Central-Government">central government</keyword> is closely monitoring and actively engaging with states and union territories over the rising cases in the country. With death of 291 people in the last 24 hours, the toll touched 1,61,240 as the active caseload in the country mounted to 4,52,647. With the discharge of 30,386 patients in a day, a total of 1,12,95,023 persons have been discharged so far. As of date, 5.81 crore doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after approval for 'Covishield' and '<keyword id="9485939" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="covaxin">Covaxin</keyword>'. Now, those over 45 years of age will also get Covid-19 vaccine from April 1, irrespective of the co-morbidities, the Central Government has announced. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/bjp-candidate-bharati-ghosh-who-is-contesting-from-west-bengals-debra-assembly-constituency-has-an-impressive-bank-balance/articleshow/81705273.cms">Bharati Ghosh, BJP's West Bengal contestant from Debra, has a robust bank balance along with a rather long rap sheet</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/checkout-the-list-of-bjp-tmc-and-congress-candidate-names-in-first-phase-west-bengal-election/articleshow/81704142.cms">The entire list and exciting facts about the 30 assembly constituencies going to polls in West Bengal on March 27</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/government-mandates-companies-to-disclose-cryptocurrency-holdings-from-april-1/articleshow/81704174.cms">Indian companies will have to disclose cryptocurrency holdings from April 1 – industry insiders welcome decision</a>

India records 62,258 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours, highest single day spike since October last year

Led by Flipkart again, <keyword id="197853" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indias">Indias</keyword> online smartphone market reached its highest-ever share at 45 per cent in 2020, registering a growth of seven per cent (on-year) in a pandemic-hit year, according to a new report. Flipkart remained the <keyword id="11002856" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="top-online-platform">top online platform</keyword> with 48 per cent share, followed by Amazon which captured 44 per cent share. Amazon grew 34 per cent (on-year) and was the fastest growing online platform, Counterpoint Research said late on Friday. Xiaomi remained the <keyword id="11002857" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="top-online-brand">top online brand</keyword> with a 40 per cent market share driven by the Redmi as well as Poco brand smartphones. With 19 per cent, <keyword id="10591" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Samsung">Samsung</keyword> captured the second position in the India online smartphone market driven by the Galaxy M-series. Samsung captured more than one-third shipments on Amazon. Realme was third in the <keyword id="2664329" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Online-Segment">online segment</keyword>, also with 19 per cent share. According to Counterpoint, realme remained the top smartphone brand on Flipkart in 2020, registering a growth of 27 per cent (on-year). Vivo captured the fourth position due to strong shipments of the Y91i, Y20 and <keyword id="3091391" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="V20">V20</keyword> series. "OnePlus was the top online premium smartphone brand on Amazon and captured the fifth position in the overall online smartphone market," the report mentioned. The top five brands in the online market captured more than 82 per cent of the total shipments. realme and Poco were the top smartphone brands on Flipkart, capturing more than 50 per cent of the shipments on the platform. The premium online smartphone market also registered a 22 per cent (on-year) growth due to these strategies. <keyword id="6354427" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="apple">Apple</keyword>, OnePlus and Samsung drove this segment and contributed to almost 90 per cent of the shipments in this segment. "Major online brands are adopting a hybrid channel strategy and expanding their offline stores. Also, as the smartphone brands move to a more ecosystem strategy and multiple devices, the focus will be on consumer experience, which will further grow the offline segment," the findings showed. Innovations such as O2O (online-to-offline) and financing schemes focusing on low-cost ownership and upgrades will also increase smartphone adoption in the country, the report added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/bjp-candidate-bharati-ghosh-who-is-contesting-from-west-bengals-debra-assembly-constituency-has-an-impressive-bank-balance/articleshow/81705273.cms">Bharati Ghosh, BJP's West Bengal contestant from Debra, has a robust bank balance along with a rather long rap sheet</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/checkout-the-list-of-bjp-tmc-and-congress-candidate-names-in-first-phase-west-bengal-election/articleshow/81704142.cms">The entire list and exciting facts about the 30 assembly constituencies going to polls in West Bengal on March 27</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/government-mandates-companies-to-disclose-cryptocurrency-holdings-from-april-1/articleshow/81704174.cms">Indian companies will have to disclose cryptocurrency holdings from April 1 – industry insiders welcome decision</a>

India's online smartphone market hits record 45% in 2020, according to new report

Trinamool Congress wins big in Bengal and BJP scores less than half of what it aimed for

<keyword id="2918346" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WeWork">WeWork</keyword> has now entered into an agreement with Indian-American <keyword id="765" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vivek">Vivek</keyword> Ranadive-led blank-check firm BowX Acquisition Corp., providing for a <keyword id="11002780" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="business-combination">business combination</keyword> that will result in the co-sharing workspace company becoming a publicly listed company. The transaction values WeWork at an initial enterprise value of approximately $9 billion, WeWork said on Friday. The move comes after WeWork's failed attempt to go public in 2019 and dramatic fall in its valuation. Following the setback, Japan-based technology investor <keyword id="163404" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Softbank">SoftBank</keyword> took 80 per cent ownership of the company and infused into it $5 billion in new financing. The new transaction is expected to close by the third quarter of 2021, subject to receipt of BowX stockholder approval, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. The transaction will provide WeWork with approximately $1.3 billion of cash which will enable the company to fund its <keyword id="414633" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="growth-plans">growth plans</keyword> into the future. "This company (WeWork) is primed to achieve profitability in the short-term, but the added long-term opportunity for growth and innovation is what made WeWork a perfect fit for BowX," <keyword id="479747" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vivek-Ranadive">Vivek Ranadive</keyword>, Chairman and Co-CEO of BowX Acquisition, said in a statement. Following the closing, Vivek Ranadive of BowX and Deven Parekh of Insight Partners will join the company's Board of Directors. "SoftBank has always seen the potential in WeWork's core business to disrupt the commercial real estate industry and reimagine the workplace. Today, we take another step towards making that vision a reality," said Marcelo Claure, the SoftBank CEO and Executive Chairman of WeWork. "The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we work, and WeWork is incredibly well positioned to springboard into a future propelled by digital technology and a new appreciation of the value of flexible workspace. We look forward to having BowX as our partner as we look to the next chapter." Since 2019, WeWork has made significant progress towards transforming its business through a strategic plan that included robust expense management efforts, exits of non-core businesses, and material portfolio optimisation, which contributed to a dramatically improved cost structure. Over the course of 2020, WeWork said it improved its free cash flow by $1.6 billion through cost cutting measures including reducing SG&amp;A expenses by $1.1 billion and trimming building operating expenses by $400 million. The company also exited all of its non-core ventures and streamlined headcount by 67 per cent from its peak in September 2019. The company's 2020 revenue, excluding China, was $3.2 billion, which is flat compared to 2019, even after exiting non-core businesses and despite significant headwinds from Covid-19. Going forward, WeWork intends to expand beyond its core business through its On Demand, All Access, and Platform offerings, enabling users to choose from their WeWork mobile app when, where, and how they work. "WeWork has spent the past year transforming the business and refocusing its core, while simultaneously managing and innovating through a historic downturn," Sandeep Mathrani, CEO of WeWork, said in a statement. "As a result, WeWork has emerged as the global leader in flexible space with a value proposition that is stronger than ever. Having Vivek and the BowX team will be invaluable to WeWork as we continue to define the future of work." Claure and Mathrani will continue to lead WeWork as Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, respectively. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/bjp-candidate-bharati-ghosh-who-is-contesting-from-west-bengals-debra-assembly-constituency-has-an-impressive-bank-balance/articleshow/81705273.cms">Bharati Ghosh, BJP's West Bengal contestant from Debra, has a robust bank balance along with a rather long rap sheet</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/checkout-the-list-of-bjp-tmc-and-congress-candidate-names-in-first-phase-west-bengal-election/articleshow/81704142.cms">The entire list and exciting facts about the 30 assembly constituencies going to polls in West Bengal on March 27</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/government-mandates-companies-to-disclose-cryptocurrency-holdings-from-april-1/articleshow/81704174.cms">Indian companies will have to disclose cryptocurrency holdings from April 1 – industry insiders welcome decision</a>

WeWork to go public in $9 billion merger with Vivek Ranadive-led BowX

<ul><li>From food and fuel to minerals, Ever Given, the giant ship that blocked <keyword id="168216" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Suez-canal">Suez canal</keyword> is going to make a lot of stuff super expensive.</li><li>On an average, over 50 ships pass through the canal and the Egyptian government makes about $16 million a day from the toll collected from these ships.</li><li>The <keyword id="6354507" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="World">world</keyword> was already dealing with a shortage of containers since the pandemic</li><li>This blockade may, yet again, increase the cost of logistics which will eventually be paid by consumers around the world.</li></ul>From food and fuel to minerals and consumer products, Ever Given, the giant ship that has blocked the Suez canal is going to make a lot of stuff super expensive. It’s been three days since the 152-year waterway in Egypt has been clogged. Latest data from <keyword id="6653494" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="lloyds">Lloyds</keyword> List Intelligence, <a href="https://think.ing.com/snaps/the-commodities-feed-suez-canal-blockage">cited by analysts at ING</a>, shows the long waiting list created by the ship operated by a Taiwan company: <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">165 vessels </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">24 crude tankers </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">15 product tankers </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">16 LNG or LPG carriers. </td></tr></tbody></table> The cost to the government in Egypt <div type="image" title="Suez Canal" height="720" width="1280" msid="81708641" hostid="261"></div>On an average, over 50 ships pass through the canal. Egypt alone has made over $5 billion a year in 2019 and 2020, mostly from the toll received from the ships passing through the Suez Canal. That’s nearly $16 million lost in a day.Reports suggest that the Japanese firm Shoei Kisen KK, the owner of Ever Given, and its insurers could face claims from the Suez Canal Authority for loss of revenue. Not just that, other ships that are stuck because of this blockade could also file claims. Container ships, as big as Ever Given⁠— which is almost as big as the Empire State Building in New York⁠— are likely to have insurance for hull and machinery damage up to $100-140 million, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-egypt-suezcanal-ship-insurance-idUSKBN2BG31A">insurance sources told Reuters</a>. However, if the trade waterway remains choked for a month, the loss of revenue for Cairo will be nearly half a billion dollars. The container crunch in the world is set to get worse <div type="image" title="Suez Canal" height="720" width="1280" msid="81708424" hostid="261"></div>The world was already dealing with a shortage of containers since the pandemic. It had taken a huge toll on both exporters and importers in India. For instance, according to data from Yes Securities, Sea freights from China to Mumbai pre‐Covid were at $600 per container. Two months ago, the freights were at $4,000 for a container, now it has dropped to $2,500 for a container. It’s still more than four times what it was a year ago. The container shortage was expected to ease only by September 2021, according to industry estimates. Now, if more containers get stuck due to the Suez Canal, the logistics cost for nearly all items that are part of global trade will get more expensive. Spot freight rates from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean had already hit the highest level since Feb 2, said S&amp;P Global citing Platts data on March 24. Freight rates in the Mediterranean and Black Sea were also strengthening, with ships stuck in the long traffic jam tightening tonnage, <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/oil/032421-suez-canal-blockage-sends-ripples-through-global-commodity-markets#article1">shipping sources told the ratings firm</a>. All of this will trickle down to the common folk <div type="image" title="Suez Canal" height="720" width="1280" msid="81708620" hostid="261"></div>Add to that, when crude oil tankers, for example, don’t reach their destination on time, the price of fuel like petrol and diesel go up. The same goes for natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that is used in cooking gas cylinders.And this blockade is not going away in a hurry. The Suez Canal may remain blocked for at least a few more weeks, which means 10% of the global sea trade has to either wait or look for alternative routes that may increase the cost of transportation. One way or another, this will trigger an increase in price for essential products like food and fuel. India is already seeing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/everyday-items-may-get-even-more-expensive-indian-homes-should-brace-for-a-rise-in-cost-of-living/articleshow/81667537.cms">everyday items get more expensive</a>, and this supply crunch due to the Ever Given ⁠— <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/the-entire-crew-of-the-massive-ship-that-has-blocked-suez-canal-is-indian/articleshow/81699456.cms">which has an all-Indian crew</a>⁠ — will only make matters worse. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/bjp-candidate-bharati-ghosh-who-is-contesting-from-west-bengals-debra-assembly-constituency-has-an-impressive-bank-balance/articleshow/81705273.cms">Bharati Ghosh, BJP's West Bengal contestant from Debra, has a robust bank balance along with a rather long rap sheet</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/checkout-the-list-of-bjp-tmc-and-congress-candidate-names-in-first-phase-west-bengal-election/articleshow/81704142.cms">The entire list and exciting facts about the 30 assembly constituencies going to polls in West Bengal on March 27</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/government-mandates-companies-to-disclose-cryptocurrency-holdings-from-april-1/articleshow/81704174.cms">Indian companies will have to disclose cryptocurrency holdings from April 1 – industry insiders welcome decision</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/tata-group-stocks-soar-in-trade-as-ratan-tata-prevails-in-the-legal-battle-with-cyrus-mistry-at-indias-supreme-court/articleshow/81703478.cms">All Tata Group stocks soar in trade as Ratan Tata prevails in the legal battle with Cyrus Mistry at India's Supreme Court</a>

Ever Given, the ship blocking the Suez Canal, is costing billions of dollars for people around the world

The stage is set for the second phase of assembly poll in <keyword id="6357783" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-bengal">West Bengal</keyword> on Thursday when more than 75 lakh voters will decide the fate of 191 candidates in 30 seats as eyes are set on the high profile Nandigram constituency where Chief Minister <keyword id="43868" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mamata-Banerjee">Mamata Banerjee</keyword> is pitted against her protag turned adversary Suvendu Adhikari. All 10,620 booths where polling will be held this phase have been declared as sensitive by the <keyword id="40807" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission">Election Commission</keyword>, which has deployed around 651 companies of central forces to provide security, officials said. Besides, the state police will also be deployed at strategic locations during the polling which will begin at 7 am, they said. A total 199 companies of Central Armed Police Force will be deployed in Purba Medinipur, 210 companies in Paschim Medinipur, 170 in South 24 Parganas and 72 in Bankura, the sources said. TMC and BJP are contesting in all the 30 seats, while CPI(M) is in the fray in 15 and its alliance partners of Sanjukta Morcha the Congress and ISF are competing in 13 and two seats respectively. Polling will take place amid strict COVID-19 guidelines in nine seats of Paschim Medinipur, eight in Bankura, four seats in South 24 Parganas and nine in Purba Medinipur - the home ground of TMC turncoat and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. Nandigram falls in Purba Medinipur district. The agrarian constituency which shook the foundations of the mighty Left regime over the anti-land acquisition movement in 2007, has now turned into a battleground of titans with Banerjee suddenly deciding to switch from her Bhowanipur seat to the constituency held by Adhikari, her former lieutenant who has switched loyalty to the BJP. For Adhikari it is a battle for political survival as a defeat would be a devastating blow and might also put a question mark on his political graph in his new party the BJP. Similarly, a victory would not only establish him as one of the tallest leaders in Bengal but would also push him few miles ahead of others in the Chief Ministerial race in case the BJP is voted to power. For Banerjee, who is running for the third successive term as chief minister, a victory is a must to lead the government and keep together her party, which is faced with exodus. For the Congress-Left-ISF alliance candidate Minakshi Mukherjee of CPI-M, the challenge is to regain her party's lost ground. While Banerjee had been camping in Nandigram for the last four days, BJP fielded its 'big guns', including Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and superstar <keyword id="14672" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mithun-Chakraborty">Mithun Chakraborty</keyword> to defend Adhikari's turf, which he had won in 2016 and take on 'Didi' (as Mamata is popularly called). Apart from identity politics and Bengali sub- nationalism, the demand for jobs, inclusion of Hindu backward communities in the OBC category and setting up of agro-based industry have emerged as main poll planks in the second phase of polls. l Of the 30 seats which will see voting on Thursday, 23 were won by TMC in the 2016 assembly elections, five by Left Front and Congress and BJP one each. The political equation in the state had changed in 2019 when BJP made massive inroads in the tribal-dominated Janga Mahal region and Medinipur belt by sweeping all the five Lok Sabha seats. The TMC, however, has been able to maintain its dominance in South 24 Parganas district, where there is sizeable minority population. A prominent seat going to the poll in the second phase is Sabang, where TMC has fielded its Rajya Sabha MP Manas Bhunia. He is up against TMC turncoat and BJP leader Amulya Maity. Bhunia, a former state Congress president, had held the seat from 1982 to 016 as Congress nominee before switching over to the TMC in September 2016. TMC has fielded actor <keyword id="1076648" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sayantika-Banerjee">Sayantika Banerjee</keyword>, a popular face in the Bengali silver screen, from Bankura seat against BJP's Niladri Sekhar Dana. The Sanjukta Morcha has fielded Congress candidate Radharani Banerjee. In Debra seat, two former IPS officers will cross swords. One is BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh who is contesting against TMC's <keyword id="184573" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Humayun-Kabir">Humayun Kabir</keyword>. Both had resigned from their senior police posts to join active politics. Banerjee, who is in a wheelchair since her accident early this moth, crisscrossed the majority of the constituencies going to the polls in the second phase. TMC MP <keyword id="255730" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Abhishek-Banerjee">Abhishek Banerjee</keyword> toured the rest asserting that TMC will not let Bengal to be ruled from Delhi or Gujarat in an apparent reference to the battery of central BJP leaders and ministers camping in the state. Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda had led BJP's campaign from the front addressing rallies at Kanthi, Bankura and Nandigram and urging the electorate to vote for BJP to usher in 'ashol poriborton' (actual change) to build 'Sonar Bangla' (prosperous Bengal). 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