1. Kamal Haasan to Campaign for TMC in Andamans
Actor Kamal Haasan, who last year launched his political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam, will campaign for the Trinamool Congress candidate at the Andamans on 6 April.
The Tamil superstar’s party has forged an alliance with Trinamool Congress at the islands’ sole Lok Sabha seat, from where the BJP’s Bishnu Pada Ray is the incumbent MP. Trinamool has fielded Ayan Mondal from the seat.
Haasan had an hour-long meeting with Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna, the seat of the Bengal secretariat, on Monday, on how to take forward the alliance.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. Cong Lists 25 for Bengal, Leaves 2 Seats for CPM
The Congress is not fielding candidates from Jadavpur and Bankura, leaving the two Lok Sabha seats for CPM’s Bikash Bhattacharya and Amiya Patra to take on BJP and Trinamool. The decision comes after the Left Front stayed away from Behrampore and Malda Dakshin.
The Congress high command gave the go-ahead to Lakshman Seth to fight Trinamool’s Dibyendu Adhikari from his brother Suvendu Adhikari’s home turf Tamluk.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. Mamata Lines Up Two Rallies in Every Seat
Mamata Banerjee is planning to launch an intensive campaign in Bengal for the Lok Sabha polls with at least 84 rallies over a 40-day period from 2 April.
The blitzkrieg of rallies, sources in the Trinamool Congress said, would set a new record in terms of public meetings by the chief minister ahead of any general election.
The sources in Trinamool said Mamata would address at least two rallies for each of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state and the final count might cross 100.
(Source: The Telegraph)
4. SC to Bengal: ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’ Is Not Banned
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Bengal government to issue a circular “forthwith” to all theatres stating that “there is no ban on the screening” of the film Bhobishyoter Bhoot.
The political satire, directed by Anik Dutta, was allegedly forced out of cinemas by the Mamata Banerjee government a day after its release on 15 February.
The bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta also directed the joint commissioner of police, Calcutta, to withdraw the communication issued by him to the producers of the film “that the contents of the film may hurt public sentiments which may lead to political law and order issues.”
(Source: The Telegraph)
5. Poll Panel Seeks Report on Abhishek Complaint
The Election Commission of India on Monday sought a detailed report from the district magistrate of North 24-Parganas after Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee had complained that “false and unverified” charges were levelled at him and his family.
“We have sought a factual report from the district election officer, who is the district magistrate of North 24-Parganas, on the matter. We are looking at the social media angle as well,” said Sanjay Basu, additional chief electoral officer of West Bengal.
Sources in the commission said Abhishek’s lawyer had sent the complaint.
(Source: The Telegraph)
6. North, Central Kolkata Taps to Go Dry on 30 March
The taps in north and central Kolkata will go dry on 30 March to facilitate the construction of a Metro ventilation shaft and an emergency exit route for the East-West corridor at Subodh Mullick Square. The KMC water supply department will have to remove a century-old “defunct” underground pipe at the intersection of Lenin Sarani and Nirmal Chandra Street to make enough room for the construction of the ventilation shaft and exit route.
A senior KMC official said operations at Palta and Tallah will be shut after supplying water to north and central Kolkata at 9:30 am on 30 March. Filtered water supply will be restored the following day at 6:30 am.
(Source: The Times of India)
7. Widow Loses ₹90L to FB Friend, Falls Prey to ‘Custom-Clearance’ Fraud
A 52-year-old Gariahat resident was allegedly duped of Rs 90 lakh over 11 days by a ‘Facebook friend’ who had introduced himself as a pilot. The money was deposited to different accounts in 23 instalments.
The woman had allegedly received a friend request from one Manish Kumar in February. The man introduced himself as a pilot settled in the UK and after a week of conversation, he told her that he had sent her a parcel with a golden heart, some gold jewellery and $70,000 as gift. But the parcel was stuck at the customs office in Delhi. He even promised to visit her later.
(Source: The Times of India)
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