Three former TMC Rajya Sabha MPs, Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Prakash Chik Baraik, filed nominations as BJP candidates for West Bengal's Rajya Sabha bypolls on July 24. Having resigned from TMC and the Upper House, they are set to return to Parliament on BJP tickets, with the BJP holding enough legislators to secure all three seats.
Omar Abdullah criticizes BJP for unfulfilled promises on Jammu and Kashmir statehood, accusing them of "backdoor" politics and exploiting divisions to gain power. He asserts statehood restoration is a commitment, not a favor, and challenges BJP candidates to deny their election promises.
BJP candidate Abhishek Kumar Sinha withdrew from the Bankipur bypoll citing family reasons, hours after filing nomination. The party replaced him with Neeraj Kumar Sinha. The by-election, necessitated by Nitin Nabin's Rajya Sabha election, marks Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor's electoral debut against the BJP stronghold.
Hours after joining the BJP, former TMC leaders Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Prakash Chik Baraik were named as BJP candidates for upcoming Rajya Sabha bypolls. The trio resigned from the Rajya Sabha and TMC last month, citing political and personal reasons, and their induction is seen as a move to strengthen BJP's presence in West Bengal amid TMC's internal crisis.
The Supreme Court dismissed Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's plea challenging the rejection of her Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh, citing a settled principle that election disputes cannot be entertained after the poll process begins.
Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar rape victim, is leading in the Panihati assembly constituency as a BJP candidate. The contest against TMC's Tirthankar Ghosh has become a focal point for debates on women's safety and governance in West Bengal.
Voting for the final phase of West Bengal Assembly Elections began in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday. BJP's Panihati candidate Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim, flagged a potential issue with an EVM button while casting her vote, stating she would inform election officials. She thanked early voters and urged others to participate, expressing hope for justice in this high-profile contest. Over 3.22 crore voters are eligible to vote across 41,001 polling stations.
A video emerged showing BJP candidate Subhendu Sarkar being chased through fields and allegedly assaulted by a mob in Kumarganj constituency during the first phase of West Bengal Assembly elections 2026. Sarkar claimed his polling agents were forcibly removed from 8-10 polling stations and that he was attacked at Booth No. 24 while inspecting the situation. He alleged Trinamool Congress supporters were responsible and claimed to be injured with his vehicle vandalized. Clashes were also reported in Murshidabad and Birbhum. Despite the violence, officials said polling was largely peaceful with voter turnout exceeding 60% by 1pm.
BJP candidates in West Bengal are campaigning with fish as a prop to appeal to local voters, transforming a culinary staple into political theatre. The practice comes as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warns that the BJP threatens Bengal's fish-and-rice culture, while the party pushes back against claims it will prohibit fish consumption. Fish carries deep cultural significance in Bengal, where 65.7% of people consume it weekly, making it a powerful symbol of identity and belonging.
