West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the raid location and openly challenged the central agency. She accused ED officials of attempting to seize TMC hard disks, internal party documents, and sensitive organisational data. Banerjee claimed she intervened and prevented officials from taking party materials. She questioned whether targeting political party IT heads falls under the Home Minister’s responsibility.

Mamata Banerjee alleged that the raids were driven by political vendetta and described the action as unconstitutional. She told reporters that the seized data included information related to Assembly election candidates. The Chief Minister further claimed the agency intended to hand over party data to the BJP.

The BJP hit back strongly. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari criticised Mamata’s presence at the raid site. He called it unethical and unconstitutional interference in a central agency’s investigation. He demanded action against the Chief Minister for obstructing due process.

According to officials, the ED conducted searches across 15 locations in six states. The agency also raided the Kolkata office of Indian Political Action Committee. Investigators say the probe involves a racket that allegedly cheated people with fake government job promises.

The post ED Raids on Prateek Jain Spark Political Storm appeared first on India Podcast.

A Trinamool Congress delegation, led by MP Abhishek Banerjee, met Election Commission officials in Delhi on Wednesday. After the meeting, Abhishek accused the Chief Election Commissioner of losing his temper and behaving aggressively. He claimed the CEC pointed fingers at party members during the interaction. Abhishek asserted his position as an elected representative and said he was accountable to voters, not authorities.

He challenged the Election Commission to release CCTV footage of the meeting. He also accused the poll body of avoiding direct answers and selectively leaking information to the media. According to him, the Commission failed to respond clearly to questions raised by Trinamool during earlier meetings.

The Election Commission rejected the allegations and accused Trinamool leaders of intimidating electoral staff in West Bengal. It warned that any pressure on booth-level officers would not be tolerated. Officials also urged the state government to release pending honorariums to election workers.

Draft electoral rolls released in December show over 58 lakh provisional deletions. Trinamool has alleged large-scale voter disenfranchisement. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has termed the revision exercise a “scam” and warned of protests if valid voters lose their names.

The post Trinamool Targets Election Commission Chief appeared first on India Podcast.

Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav said Mamata Banerjee will win the West Bengal polls with a large margin. He accused the BJP of conspiring across states to weaken opposition governments. He added that voters will reject these tactics. According to him, the BJP will first lose West Bengal and then face defeat in Uttar Pradesh in the 2027 Assembly elections.

His remarks came days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah attacked the Trinamool Congress government in Kolkata. Shah alleged that fear and corruption defined West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee’s 14-year rule. He also accused the state government of encouraging illegal infiltration and blocking border fencing work. In response, Mamata Banerjee compared Amit Shah to “Dushasana” from the Mahabharata.

Akhilesh Yadav also targeted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists. He alleged pressure on Election Commission officials and demanded transparency. He said the Election Commission must protect its credibility during the revision process.

The post Akhilesh Yadav Backs Mamata Banerjee Ahead appeared first on India Podcast.

Speaking to reporters in Siliguri, Mithun Chakraborty said Mamata Banerjee crossed limits by allegedly threatening Amit Shah. He challenged her to make her statement clearer and more direct. He said the public would then see the consequences. Chakraborty added that such statements expose the ruling party’s insecurity.

The BJP leader said symbolic threats achieve nothing in a democratic system. He asserted that central leaders cannot be stopped from visiting any Indian state. He also said the BJP remains confident of victory in the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections.

Chakraborty claimed public anger against the Trinamool Congress continues to grow. He said people want change and development. According to him, the BJP’s organisational strength has improved across the state.

The controversy follows rising political tension between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Both parties have intensified attacks as elections approach. While the Trinamool leadership has not officially responded, the issue has sparked fresh debate in Bengal’s political circles.

The coming weeks are expected to witness sharper political confrontations.

The post Mamata Banerjee Amit Shah Row Escalates in Bengal appeared first on India Podcast.

Shah claimed the state government refuses to provide land for border fencing. He alleged that the Trinamool Congress encourages infiltration to protect its vote bank. He assured voters that a BJP government would identify and deport illegal immigrants.

The Home Minister said West Bengal’s economy has declined sharply. He claimed industries have moved out due to corruption, violence, and extortion. Shah stated that Bengal once led India in industrial growth but now lags behind the national average in income.

He said Bengal’s per capita income has fallen far below the national level. Shah blamed the state government for delaying central schemes like PM Kisan and refusing to implement Ayushman Bharat. He said farmers lost ₹10,000 crore due to delays.

Shah also alleged large-scale political violence. He claimed over 300 BJP workers have died, while thousands remain displaced since the 2021 elections.

Mamata Banerjee hit back from Bankura. She accused the BJP of targeting Bengali speakers nationwide. She claimed people face harassment under SIR and alleged several deaths linked to the process.

The post Amit Shah Alleges Bengal Infiltration Crisis appeared first on India Podcast.

Banerjee said the Centre plans to remove 1.5 crore names from voter lists for political gain. She claimed the exercise lacks transparency and runs in election mode. The Chief Minister dismissed Shah’s allegations, saying she does not care about such attacks.

She questioned the Centre’s claims on security and asked who takes responsibility for terror incidents like the Pahalgam attack. Banerjee also referred to violence in Delhi and demanded accountability.

On land allocation, she rejected Shah’s accusations. She said the state provided land for railway projects, coal mining, and border infrastructure. Banerjee accused the Centre of stopping welfare schemes and renaming existing programmes to mislead people.

She alleged that SIR targets Rajbanshi, Matua, and tribal communities. Banerjee cited a Purulia case where an elderly man died during the verification process. She questioned repeated voter deletions despite Aadhaar availability.

TMC MP Saket Gokhale also attacked Shah over infiltration claims. He said repeated statements expose the Centre’s failure on internal security.

The post Mamata Banerjee Slams Amit Shah Attacks appeared first on India Podcast.

After forming his party, Kabir reached out to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Indian Secular Front (ISF) leader Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui to explore a possible alliance. AIMIM has reportedly shown a positive response, while discussions with Siddiqui—who earlier aligned with Congress and Left parties—are ongoing. Muslims constitute nearly 30 percent of West Bengal’s population, and their voting preference has historically shaped the state’s political power.

In the past, Muslim voters shifted from Congress to the Left, and later supported the Trinamool Congress, bringing Mamata Banerjee to power. However, the emergence of a new political front could fragment this vote bank. Owaisi’s influence in Malda and North-South Dinajpur, Siddiqui’s stronghold in South Bengal, and Kabir’s base in Murshidabad together could dent TMC’s support significantly. This potential split may indirectly benefit the BJP, which has long aspired to capture power in the state.

The post West Bengal Politics: Political Battle for Muslim Vote Bank After Decades, Trouble Looms for Mamata Banerjee appeared first on India Podcast.

Addressing the media, Siddiqui compared West Bengal’s situation with recent unrest in Bangladesh. He referred to violent protests and attacks on minorities there. He warned that Bengal could face similar instability if current policies continue.

Siddiqui accused the state government of encouraging radical elements. He alleged that such actions aim to consolidate political support. He claimed the BJP would prevent Bengal from following Bangladesh’s path.

The BJP leader also expressed solidarity with minority Hindus in Bangladesh and Pakistan. He appealed to secular and Islamic communities there to ensure minority safety and justice. Siddiqui said minorities in India enjoy equality and deserve similar protection elsewhere.

He further criticised Mamata Banerjee’s ideology. He said her politics threatens social harmony in Bengal. Siddiqui asserted that people would respond in the 2026 Assembly elections.

His remarks come amid heightened political tension. Regional parties continue to trade sharp accusations over governance, security, and minority rights.

The post Bengal Unsafe Under Mamata, BJP Minority Morcha Launches Sharp Attack appeared first on India Podcast.

Without naming the BJP directly, Banerjee said it was “shameful” to remove the name of the Father of the Nation from a national employment scheme. “If some political parties cannot respect our national symbols, we will. If they cannot honour Mahatma Gandhi, we surely will,” she said.

The Chief Minister stated that despite the Centre allegedly withholding MGNREGA funds, the Bengal government has continued providing employment under the Karmashree scheme using state resources. Currently, the scheme offers 75 days of work, and Banerjee said the state aims to increase this to 100 days in the future. “Even if central funds stop completely, we will ensure people get work. We are not beggars,” she asserted.

Speaking on Bengal’s economic growth, Banerjee said the state has transformed into a world-class destination. She highlighted Bengal’s emergence as a major logistics hub and gateway to Southeast Asia, Northeast India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and eastern Indian states, adding that global players like Amazon and the World Bank are partnering with the state.

The post Mamata Banerjee Slams Centre Over MGNREGA Name Change, Announces Gandhi Name for Karmashree Scheme appeared first on India Podcast.

Official data shows that 24 lakh names were marked as deceased. Around 19 lakh voters were listed as relocated. Another 12 lakh were categorised as missing, while 1.3 lakh entries were flagged as duplicates. The revision aims to remove duplication and errors ahead of the next Assembly elections.

Voters whose names are missing from the draft list can file objections and seek corrections. Authorities will examine claims before publishing the final voter list in February next year. The Election Commission is expected to announce election dates after the final list is released.

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy termed the deletions unjust. He alleged a conspiracy to remove genuine voters and said the party has opened assistance booths to help affected voters submit forms.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also opposed the exercise. She accused the Centre and the Election Commission of targeting eligible voters. At a recent rally, she urged people to protest if their names were deleted.

The BJP rejected the allegations. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said SIR removes fake and illegal voters. He claimed the Trinamool fears losing power due to voter list cleanup.

The issue is expected to dominate Bengal’s political discourse in the coming months.

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