West Bengal

Kolkata, Jun 9 (PTI) Buoyed by its stupendous victory in West Bengal in the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP is preparing a blueprint, which includes putting in place a check and balance mechanism to induct TMC leaders and strengthening its grassroot level organisation, to win "at least 250 seats" in the state assembly elections.

Kolkata, Jun 7; PTI/GANASHAKTI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday refused to attend a meeting of Niti Aayog to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 15, saying it is "fruitless" as the body has no financial powers to support state plans.

Her decision to skip the meeting of the top plan panel comes days after she stayed away from the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 30 citing as "untrue" claims by the BJP that 54 of the party workers were murdered in political violence in Bengal.

Hooghly (WB), Jun 3 (PTI) Tension prevailed Monday at Goghat in Hooghly district, where four persons were injured following a clash between supporters of the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress, police said.

Trouble began when the TMC supporters were felling trees, which the BJP workers objected to, resulting in a scuffle, they said.

New Delhi, May 28 (PTI) Three West Bengal MLAs, including BJP leader Mukul Roy's son Subhrangshu Roy, and over 50 municipal councillors, most of them from the Trinamool Congress, joined the saffron party Tuesday as it works to consolidate its position in the state following its impressive show there in Lok Sabha polls.

Kolkata, May 28 (PTI) The West Bengal government on Tuesday transferred 43 IPS officers including the Police Commissioners of Bidhannagar, Howrah and Siliguri, an officer said.

Bharat Lal Meena the CP of Siliguri Police Commissionerate would be the new CP of Bidhannagar Police, an official notification said.

The order appointing Nishant Pervez as the CP of Bidhanagar was cancelled and he would continue as DIG of state CID, the officer said.

Kolkata, May 27 (PTI) West Bengal government on Monday appointed Alapan Bandyopadhyay as the new Home Secretary and transferred a number of IAS and IPS officers including 10 district magistrates, an official notification said.

Bandyopadhyay replaces Atri Bhattacharya.

Bhattacharya was transferred by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and chief secretary Moloy De was looking after the Home department.

Kolkata, May 27 (PTI) Former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar skipped a meeting with the CBI officials on Monday despite being summoned by the agency for questioning in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, officials said.

Kumar, however, sent a letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), seeking some more time to appear before its officers in connection with the case.

A CID official visited the CBI office in Salt Lake and submitted the letter, in which Kumar said he is on a three-day leave and, therefore, unable to attend the summon.

New Delhi/Kolkata, May 26 (PTI) The CBI has summoned former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar on Monday for questioning in connection with the Saradha ponzi scheme case, officials said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI's) move came shortly after the West Bengal government reinstated Kumar as the additional director general of the CID.

Kolkata, May 26 (PTI) Soon after the Election Commission lifted the model code of conduct, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Sunday reinstated 11 IPS officers, including Rajeev Kumar, to their old posts.

Kumar, who was removed by the poll body from the post of Additional Director General of West Bengal CID, was reinstated by an order issued by the state home and hill affairs department.

Kolkata, May 25; PTI/GANASHAKTI: Violent incidents were reported from across West Bengal on Saturday in which one person died and many were injured, officials said, as a face-off brewed between the ruling Trinamool Congress and a surging BJP after the Lok Sabha results were declared.

TMC alleged that a number of its party offices have either been taken over or vandalised by BJP workers.