#west bengal elections

[india-times]

Left-Congress Combine Dents BJP's Prospects in Bengal: Analyzing the Impact

In the latest election cycle, the Left-Congress alliance emerged as a formidable force, significantly affecting the BJP’s performance in West Bengal. Despite the BJP banking on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to win over voters, the combined opposition of the Left and Congress, along with other factors, played a crucial role in the BJP’s setbacks. The Left-Congress alliance secured 12% of…

[enigma-the-mysterious]

Yeah, TMC and BJP are equally bad but the leftist parties in Bengal aren't shit either. The 34 years of CPM rule is a bloodstained history.

Yeah, all this is to say that my state is truly fucked from all sides

[kailash-se-birha]

Why doesn't BJP do more or anything to protect its cadre in West Bengal? Mamta Banerjee is what a dictator would actually look like. Her and her TMC goons go around fear mongering ordinary voters and killing opposition (BJP and CPIM) karyakartas. The Bengal police are basically Mamta Banerjee's lapdog at this point, no fucking accountability. All of this after 400 companies of CAPF have been deployed.

I wouldn't be opposed to this being implemented in Bengal (by the Bengal High Court).

All of this is happening as the left rejoices about Kangana Ranaut getting slapped. For anybody that wonders 'Democracy will be restored' if Indi Alliance had won, just show them the leftist apathy towards post poll violence in West Bengal because of the INC TMC kinship. They have no morals, standards, or principles. Now UP is no longer a cow belt and Bengal is the bastion of progressivism.

[buttercuparry]

See I don't know if I should support the ban of The Kerala Story or not. On one hand it acts like a catalyst that further tries to incite hate and divide on communal and religious lines. It absolutely is a propaganda in a atmosphere where islamophobia is rampant and where the nationalist hindutva freaks are constantly looking for anything and everything to justify their hate. But my question is won't this ban be politicized and used as "see! They want to hide something! That's why they are suppressing our voice and banning the film under the guise of secularism!" Etc etc. Besides what about a free media? But then again after what people have done with The Kashmir Files, where the violence that happened was exaggerated and the exaggeration then got used to instill a feeling of being at war with a religious community, it doesn't take much to conclude that the Kerala story too is a work of the same political genre. So I personally don't know what to say. Like in the US you have copaganda. Is it better to ban those shows? Or to let it run but form your own educated decisions.

Can it even be compared because in India it is a propaganda against a community and the resulting boiled over pots would be riots and targeted assaults on the people of the community

[trendkhabar]

2023 West Bengal Panchayat Election: Polling date, schedule, results— All you need to know

West Bengal is gearing up for Panchayat elections, which will be held next month. The West Bengal State Election Commission announced the 2023 Panchayat election schedule last week.  The last date for filing nominations was Thursday, June 15. The three-tier panchayat polls across 20 districts and two-tier polls in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts will be held in a single phase on July 8. Date…

[todayworldnews2k21]

Opposition MLAs allege attacks amid formation of gram panchayat boards in West Bengal

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. | Photo Credit: ANI Two MLAs of Opposition parties in West Bengal on Thursday alleged that they were attacked amid efforts to form governing boards in gram panchayats in the State, which has been hit by violence since the notification for the three-tier panchayat polls was issued on June 8. Indian Secular Front MLA Nawsad Siddique alleged that stones…

[itwillallbeokay]

Election season in my state is fucking nightmare times for us. Truly. The feeling of hearing the names of those dead. The fear that comes when you realise that there is no law and order here.

[voicebrodcasting]

Bulk Voice Calls for Elections in Dadra

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[rightnewshindi]

चुनाव आयोग का बड़ा एक्शन; पश्चिम बंगाल के डीजीपी को बदला, विवेक सहाय संभालेंगे कमान

चुनाव आयोग का बड़ा एक्शन; पश्चिम बंगाल के डीजीपी को बदला, विवेक सहाय संभालेंगे कमान

Kolkata News: 17 मार्च निर्वाचन आयोग के निर्देश के बाद पश्चिम बंगाल सरकार ने सोमवार को विवेक सहाय को राज्य का नया पुलिस महानिदेशक DGP नियुक्त किया। सूत्रों ने यह जानकारी दी। यह नियुक्ति आयोग द्वारा राजीव कुमार को डीजीपी पद से हटाने के कुछ घंटों के भीतर की गई। वर्ष 1988 बैच के आईपीएस अधिकारी सहाय महानिदेशक एवं कमांडेंट जनरल (होमगार्ड) के पद पर तैनात थे। कुमार को पिछले साल दिसंबर में राज्य का…

[india-times]

Left-Congress Combine Dents BJP's Prospects in Bengal: Analyzing the Impact

In the latest election cycle, the Left-Congress alliance emerged as a formidable force, significantly affecting the BJP’s performance in West Bengal. Despite the BJP banking on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to win over voters, the combined opposition of the Left and Congress, along with other factors, played a crucial role in the BJP’s setbacks.

The Left-Congress alliance secured 12% of the vote across West Bengal’s 42 Lok Sabha seats, influencing the outcomes in at least 12 seats. Their presence also impacted the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in three to four seats in North Bengal. The coalition, comprising popular and senior leaders, aimed to maximize their seat count. While they did not increase their tally significantly, their vote share saw a notable rise.

Election Data Insights

According to Election Commission data, the Congress-Left combine’s performance notably affected TMC’s chances in seats like Balurghat, Raigunj, and Maldaha Uttar. For instance, in Maldaha Uttar and Raigunj, Congress candidates secured over 2 and 3 lakh votes respectively, contributing to TMC’s losses in these constituencies by margins of 77,708 and 68,197 votes.

In terms of specific outcomes, the Congress contested 12 seats, winning one — Maldaha Dakshin — and securing second place in Baharampur and Jangipur with a 19% vote share. A senior Congress leader noted an increase in their vote share compared to the 2021 Assembly election, particularly in North Bengal and Murshidabad.

The Left’s Impact in South Bengal

In South Bengal, the CPI(M) managed to regain a minor share of the Hindu vote, previously consolidated in favor of the BJP. This shift was crucial in affecting the BJP’s prospects in around a dozen seats. For example, in Asansol, BJP’s S S Ahluwalia lost by 59,564 votes, while the CPI(M) candidate secured over 1 lakh votes, contributing to TMC’s Shatrughan Sinha’s victory. Similarly, in Arambagh, the CPI(M) secured over 92,000 votes, narrowing the TMC’s winning margin to 6,399 votes.

The CAA’s Limited Impact

The BJP’s reliance on the CAA to win over the Matua community, which has around 1.5 crore Dalit members who migrated from Bangladesh, did not yield the expected results. Despite the BJP notifying the CAA rules ahead of the polls, their performance in the six Matua-dominated seats was underwhelming. The BJP retained Bangaon and Ranaghat with a slight dip in vote share but lost Cooch Behar. TMC retained the other three Matua-dominated seats — Krishnanagar, Barasat, and Bardhaman Purba.

TMC’s Counter Campaign

BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya accused TMC of misleading the Matua community regarding the CAA, creating fear and confusion about potential detention camps. TMC’s campaign effectively countered the BJP’s narrative, maintaining their hold on significant Matua-dominated constituencies.

Conclusion

The Left-Congress combine played a crucial role in shaping the electoral landscape in West Bengal, affecting both BJP and TMC’s performances in various constituencies. The combined opposition’s strategic influence, along with local factors and effective counter-campaigns, underscores the complex dynamics at play in Bengal’s political arena. As the dust settles, these results highlight the importance of coalition politics and voter perception in determining electoral outcomes.

[sujaynews123]

Panchayat Election 2023 TMC Candidate List, Result Date

Reed more

[rebel-bulletin]

पक्षातील नेते आक्रमक : ‘या’ पक्षाचं थेट निवडणूक आयोगालाच आव्हान

कोलकाता : केंद्रीय निवडणूक आयोगाने सोमवारी तृणमूल काँग्रेसचा राष्ट्रीय पक्षाचा दर्जा काढून घेतला आहे. त्यामुळे आता राष्ट्रीय पक्षाच्या यादीत टीएमसीचा समावेश नसणार. त्यामुळे निवडणूक आयोगाच्या या निर्णयाचा टीएमसीने निषेध व्यक्त केला आहे. एएनआय या वृत्तसंस्थेने सांगितले की, टीएमसी आता या निर्णयाला आव्हान देण्यासाठी कायदेशीर पर्याय शोधत आहे. त्यामुळे टीएमसी आणि सत्ताधारी हा वाद विकोपाला जाण्याची…

[shehzadi]

increasing anti-muslim violence in india. 3 lynchings in the last week in west bengal alone. more murders, more abuse, more torture is expected at this point against indian muslims and kashmiris (x), given upcoming elections and hindutva’s growing obsession with emulating israel. who better to take inspiration from if you intend to eradicate an entire group of people and steal land?

[reasonsforhope]

"It was widely described as the week that India’s beleaguered democracy was pulled back from the brink. As the election results rolled in on Tuesday [June 4, 2024], all predictions and polls were defied as Narendra Modi lost his outright majority for the first time in a decade while the opposition re-emerged as a legitimate political force. On Sunday evening, Modi will be sworn in as prime minister yet many believe his power and mandate stands diminished.

For one opposition politician in particular, the humbling of the strongman prime minister was a moment to savour. Late last year, Mahua Moitra, one of the most outspoken critics of Modi and his Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), found herself unceremoniously expelled from parliament and kicked out of her bungalow, after what she described as a “political witch-hunt” for daring to stand up to Modi.

The murky and allegedly undemocratic circumstances of Moitra’s expulsion from parliament was seen by many to symbolise Modi’s approach to dissenting voices and the steady erosion of India’s democracy. She was among several vocal opposition politicians who were subjected to investigations by government crime agencies.

But having won a landslide re-election in her home state of West Bengal, Moitra will return once again to parliament, part of the newly empowered opposition coalition. “I can’t wait,” said Moitra. “They went to egregious lengths to discredit and destroy me and abused every process to do it. If I had gone down, it would have meant that brute force had triumphed over democracy.”

While he may be returning for a historic third term, many have portrayed the results as something of a defeat for Modi, who has had to rely on coalition partners to form a government. The BJP’s campaign had been solely centred around him – even the manifesto was titled “Modi’s guarantee” – and in many constituencies, local BJP candidates often played second fiddle to the prime minister, who loomed large over almost every seat. He told one interviewer he believed his mandate to rule was given directly by God.

“Modi’s aura was invincibility, that the BJP could not win elections without him,” said Moitra. “But the people of India didn’t give him a simple majority. They were voting against authoritarianism and they were voting against fascism. This was an overwhelming, resounding anti-Modi vote.”

During his past decade in power, Modi and the BJP enjoyed a powerful outright majority and oversaw an unprecedented concentration of power under the prime minister’s office, where key decisions were widely known to be made by a select few.

The Modi government was accused of imposing various authoritarian measures, including the harassment and arrest of critics under terrorism laws, while the country tumbled in global democracy and press freedom rankings. Modi never faced a press conference or any committee of accountability for the often divisive actions of his government. Politicians regularly complained that parliament was simply reduced to a rubber-stamping role for the BJP’s Hindu-first agenda.

Yet on Tuesday [June 40, it became clear that the more than 25 opposition parties, united as a coalition under the acronym INDIA, had inflicted substantial losses on the BJP to take away its simple majority. Analysts said the opposition’s performance was all the more remarkable given that the BJP stands accused of subverting and manipulating the election commission, as well as putting key opposition leaders behind bars and far outspending all other parties on its campaign. The BJP has denied any attempts to skew the election in its favour.

“This election proved that the voter is still the ultimate king,” said Moitra. “Modi was so shameless, yet despite them using every tool they had to engineer this election to their advantage, our democracy fought back.”

Moitra said she was confident it was “the end of Mr Modi’s autocratic way of ruling”. Several of the parties in the BJP’s alliance who he is relying on for a parliamentary majority and who will sit in Modi’s cabinet do not share his Hindu nationalist ideology...

Moitra was not alone in describing this week’s election as a reprieve for the troubling trajectory of India’s democracy. Columns heralding that the “mirror has cracked” and the “idea of India is reborn” were plastered across the country’s biggest newspapers, and editorials spoke of the end of “supremo syndrome”. “The bulldozer now has brakes,” wrote the Deccan Chronicle newspaper. “And once a bulldozer has brakes, it becomes just a lawnmower.” ...

“This was not a normal election, it was clearly an unfair and unlevel playing field,” said Yadav. “But still, there is now a hope and a possibility that the authoritarian element could be reversed.”

Harsh Mander, one of India’s most prominent human rights and peace activists who is facing numerous criminal investigations for his work, called the election the “most important in India’s post independence history”, adding: “The resilience of Indian democracy has proved to be spectacular.”

He said it was encouraging that an “intoxication of majoritarian hate politics” had not ultimately shaped the outcome, referring to Modi’s apparent attempts to stir up religious animosity on the campaign trail as he referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” and “those who have more children”.

“The past decade has seen the freedom of religion and the freedom of conscience and dissent taken away,” said Mander. “If this election had gone fully the BJP way, then India would not remain a constitutional secular democracy.”"

-via The Guardian, June 9, 2024

[f1ghtsoftly]

All The Women’s News You Missed Last Week 9/16/24-9/23/24:

Hi, this newsletter is late. On Thursday, September 19th, I was the victim of a crime and needed emergency medical care. I am currently recovering with family outside the city. This is the earliest I could get out this project. I appreciate your understanding at this time.

Male Violence/Femicide: 

US: Sean 'Diddy' Combs arrest live updates: Charged with sex trafficking and racketeering 

India: West Bengal Assembly in India passes bill mandating life in prison or death penalty for rape convictions

France: Shocking rape trial highlights the systematic struggles French sexual abuse victims face

Australia: Suspect in 1977 Melbourne cold case arrested in Italy

US: Several Mark Robinson campaign staffers quit as fallout over online posts continues

Italy: Italy holds a trial into the killing of a woman that sparked debate over femicide

US: Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new sexual assault charge 

UK: Harrods' ex-owner Al Fayed raped, assaulted staff over decades, lawyers say 

Reproductive Rights in the USA/Special Focus:

A dramatic rise in pregnant women dying in Texas after abortion ban 

Abortion Bans Have Delayed Emergency Medical Care. In Georgia, Experts Say This Mother’s Death Was Preventable.

Federal judge temporarily blocks Tennessee’s ‘abortion trafficking’ law

‘She should be alive today’ — Harris spotlights woman’s death to blast abortion bans and Trump

Western nations were desperate for Korean babies. Now many adoptees believe they were stolen

Euphoric two years ago, US anti-abortion movement is now divided and worried as election nears

US Senate IVF bill fails after Republicans block it, despite Trump support

Transgender News/Gender Critical:

Australia: Australian woman's complaint at hostel backfires as manager fires back: 'This guest is lucky we didn't press charges on her'

Women’s Achievements: 

US: 2 Black women could make Senate history on Election Day

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka has more women voters than men but no female presidential candidates

US: ‘Hidden Figures’ of the space race receive Congress’ highest honor at medal ceremony

MISC: 

Sweden: Sweden charges woman with genocide, crimes against humanity in Syria

Arts and Culture: 

Music Review: Katy Perry returns with the uninspired and forgettable ‘143'

Why does ‘The Babadook’ still haunt? Its director, Jennifer Kent, has some answers

JoJo was a teen sensation. At 33, she’s found her voice again

'Agatha All Along' crafts a witch coven community run by women

Demi Lovato’s ‘Child Star’ Is Now Streaming on Hulu and Disney+

As always, this is global and domestic news from a US perspective covering feminist issues and women in the news more generally. As of right now, I do not cover Women’s Sports. Published each Monday afternoon.

I am looking for better sources on women’s arts and culture outside of the English-speaking world, if you know of any-please be in touch.