TMC sweeps West Bengal rural polls, bags around 35,000 gram panchayat seats

News Network
July 12, 2023

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Kolkata, July 12: The ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday looked poised to sweep to a massive victory in violence-scarred rural polls in Bengal as the overnight count of ballots gave it an unassailable lead in results declared till now by the State Election Commission.

The TMC has won in 34,359 gram panchayat seats, besides leading in 752 seats, according to the SEC as of 8 am on Wednesday. Its nearest rival BJP has won 9,545 seats and is leading in 180 seats. In all elections are being held for 63,229 gram panchayat seats. The CPI( M) has won 2,885 and is leading in 96 seats. The Congress won 2,498 seats and is leading in 72.

The counting though largely peaceful was marred by stray incidents including bombs being hurled in Bhangar, a spot where there had been deaths in the run-up to election, leading to firing by central forces and state police on Tuesday night on an unruly mob which resulted in injuries including on ISF supporters and policemen including an IPS officer. 

The ruling TMC won 6,134 Panchayat samiti seats while leading 61 seats. BJP has won 939 and is leading in 149 seats, while CPI(M) has won 165 seats and is leading in 14 others and Congress has won in 244 seats and is leading in 7 seats. Elections were held for 9,728 Panchayat Samiti seats.

TMC has also won all 554 Zila Parishad results declared so far and is leading in 201 others. The BJP has in contrast won 19 and is leading in 7 seats.

The CPI(M) has won 2 seats and is leading in 2 more seats, while Congress has won 4 and is leading in 10. In all, there are 928 Zila Parishad seats.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had suffered an injury during campaigning thanked people for reposing trust in her on Tuesday night.

"It's TMC all the way in rural Bengal. I want to thank the people for their love, affection and support towards the TMC. This election has proved that only TMC resides in the heart of the people of the state," Banerjee said in a social media post.

The elections are being seen by all parties as an indicator of which way the wind will blow in the 2024 parliamentary elections from this part of the country.

The violence which rocked the panchayat polls held on Saturday has claimed at least 15 lives with 11 of them from the ruling TMC. Since elections were announced last month, the number of people who died in poll-related incidents has been 33, with the ruling party suffering 60 per cent of the deaths.

Allegations of vote tampering and violence by various parties forced the SEC to order re-polling in 696 seats on Monday, which passed more or less peacefully. Intervention by the Calcutta High Court had seen the deployment of central police forces on both election and counting days.

Though Bengal has a long history of violent rural polls with 40 people killed in one single day of polling during the 2003 panchayat elections, this year’s violence which was covered extensively by the media focused national attention on it.

Governor CV Ananda Bose who had rushed to Delhi to give a report on the violence told newspersons Tuesday "Political parties should realise elections are not grounds to examine one's physical strength".

Counting of votes for the three-tier panchayat polls to nearly 74,000 seats which besides the gram panchayat seats, also includes 9,730 panchayat samiti seats and 928 zilla parishad seats, began at 8 am on Tuesday largely peacefully amid tight security, officials said.

Vote counting is on at 339 venues spread across 22 districts and is likely to carry over to Wednesday. The maximum number of counting centres is in South 24 Parganas at 28, while the minimum is in Kalimpong at four. Some northern districts are also facing inclement weather.

"Counting which began at 8 am yesterday continued overnight and will be completed today" an SEC official said Wednesday.

In Darjeeling hills, out of the 598 seats in Darjeeling and 281 in Kalimpong, the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) was leading in many areas and looks likely to be the new numero uno in the Bengal hill districts.

All the counting venues are manned by armed state police personnel and central forces, with prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC being imposed outside the venue to avoid any untoward incidents. There are a total of 767 strong rooms across 22 districts.

Large crowds of supporters of various candidates gathered at various centres to ensure that counting was conducted correctly.

In various districts, TMC supporters celebrated their victory by dancing and smearing each other with green colour, the party’s chosen colour.

A total of 5.67 crore people living in the state's rural areas were eligible to decide the fate of 2.06 lakh candidates in 73,887 seats of the three-tier-panchayat system. 

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News Network
April 4,2025

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Israel has announced the launch of a new ground onslaught in Gaza City, with rescuers saying military aggression has killed at least 30 people across the Palestinian territory since dawn.

In Gaza City, the Israeli military said ground troops had begun pushing into the Shejaiya neighborhood to expand the so-called "security zone" there, claiming that civilians had been allowed to evacuate the area. 

Initial reports, however, said a Palestinian woman and her daughter were just killed in an Israeli artillery shelling on displaced people in Shejaiya.

Gaza's civil defense agency said Israeli military aggression had killed at least 30 people in the Palestinian territory since dawn, adding that the toll was "not final".

A single Israeli strike on Khan Yunis killed at least 25 people, a medical source at the southern city's Nasser Hospital said. 

"The situation is very dangerous, and there is death coming at us from every direction," Elena Halas told AFP reportedly via text message, adding that she and her family were trapped in her sister's house in Shejaiya.

Israel has pushed since the collapse of a short-lived truce in the war to seize territory in Gaza. Simultaneously, it has escalated attacks on Lebanon and Syria, with a strike in the south Lebanese city of Sidon killing a Hamas commander along with his son on Friday. 

Minister of military affairs Israel Katz had said on Wednesday that Israel would bolster its military presence inside the Gaza Strip to "seize large areas that will be incorporated into Israeli security zones", without specifying how much territory.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military was dividing Gaza and "seizing territory" to force Hamas to free the remaining captives seized in the October 2023 operation inside southern settlements. 

Netanyahu has said his regime is working closely with the US to implement President Donald Trump's plan to displace Gazans.

Latest air raids have targeted Gaza City, as well as Beit Lahia, Rafah, and Khan Yunis, killing dozens of people and injuring several others.

On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of fleeing Gazans sought shelter in one of the biggest mass displacements of the war, as Israeli forces advanced into the ruins of the city of Rafah. 

A day after declaring their intention to capture large swathes of the crowded territory, Israeli forces pushed into the city on Gaza's southern edge which had served as a last refuge for people fleeing other areas for much of the war.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said on Thursday that 112 Palestinians were killed by Israeli airstrikes, with at least 70 of those deaths taking place in Gaza City, in the north of the strip. 

Gaza's civil defense agency said women and children were among the dead, while six people were still unaccounted for in the strike on Dar al-Arqam School in the al-Tuffah neighborhood, northeast of Gaza City, including a pregnant woman who was expecting twins. 

Beit Hanoun Mayor Mohammad Nazek Al-Kafarna was one of the victims of the Israeli strike that hit the school on Thursday.

The Health Ministry said on Thursday that 1,163 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since Israel resumed intense bombing on March 18, bringing the overall death toll since the war began to 50,523.

The usurping entity accepted longstanding negotiation terms by the Hamas resistance group under a Gaza ceasefire, which began on January 19.

On March 18, however, Israel unilaterally broke the truce and resumed its relentless bombing of Gaza.

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News Network
March 28,2025

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When the ground violently shook beneath his feet, Prem Kishore Mohanty, an Indian expatriate in Bangkok, was attending his five-year-old daughter's school sports day. What began as a routine event—children competing, parents cheering—quickly turned into a moment of panic as tremors struck.

"I felt my head spinning and had to sit down. The overhead lights swayed, and chairs moved," said Mr. Mohanty, 44. The school's PA system quickly announced an emergency evacuation, directing everyone to the outdoor field while warning against using nearby lanes lined with high-rise towers.

Water from rooftop swimming pools, including those at the InterContinental Bangkok, cascaded down buildings, as captured in viral videos.

Fear and Chaos as Bangkok Shakes
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter in Myanmar, sent powerful tremors into Thailand, bringing Bangkok to an abrupt standstill. Public transport was suspended, traffic snarled, and people evacuated buildings, waiting anxiously for the all-clear.

Earthquakes are rare in Bangkok, a city more accustomed to heat and monsoons than seismic shocks. For the Mohanty family, who live in a high-rise apartment in Sukhumvit, confusion and fear gripped them as the evacuation began.

"It was terrifying. We were told to take the fire escape stairwell and wait outside. There was no time to think," Mr. Mohanty recalled.

Now safe, he remains shaken by the unexpected jolt that turned a normal day into a moment of chaos for his family and thousands across the city.

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News Network
March 30,2025

Eid al-Fitr 2025 was marked with grand celebrations across the Middle East, as millions of Muslims came together to pray, feast, and rejoice. However, amid the festivities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait, Gaza stood in mourning. The ongoing conflict and devastation in Palestine turned what is usually a time of joy into a period of sorrow and survival for many Palestinians. While some regions witnessed fireworks and public gatherings, Gaza endured airstrikes, hunger, and loss, painting a stark contrast to the celebrations elsewhere.

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Muslims attend mass Eid al-Fitr prayers marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 30, 2025

Gaza: Eid Amid Destruction and Mourning

In Gaza, the usual festive spirit of Eid was shattered by grief and destruction. Israeli airstrikes claimed the lives of several civilians, including women and children, leaving families mourning rather than rejoicing.

The usually vibrant markets of Gaza, once filled with people buying sweets and new clothes for Eid, remained eerily silent. Many families had no food to prepare the traditional celebratory meals, as ongoing blockades and supply shortages have left residents struggling for survival.

President Mahmoud Abbas declared that this year's Eid celebrations should be limited to religious observances, acknowledging the suffering of the people. In place of festivities, prayers were held for the victims of the war, and aid organizations worked tirelessly to distribute basic necessities to displaced families.

Saudi Arabia: Grand Celebrations Despite Regional Tensions

In stark contrast, Saudi Arabia witnessed grand celebrations with large-scale public events, concerts, and fireworks. The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) organized festivities across Riyadh, Jeddah, and other major cities. The night skies were illuminated with dazzling fireworks in places such as Boulevard World (Riyadh), Jeddah Art Promenade, and Al-Khobar Corniche.

Despite the revelry, many Saudi citizens expressed solidarity with Palestinians, with social media campaigns and fundraising efforts aiming to support those suffering in Gaza.

United Arab Emirates: A Festival of Luxury and Giving

The UAE celebrated Eid al-Fitr with traditional prayers, family gatherings, and a wide range of entertainment events. Dubai and Abu Dhabi hosted special cultural performances, and malls offered discounts and attractions for families.

However, amidst the celebrations, many mosques in the UAE emphasized the importance of charity, urging people to contribute to humanitarian efforts in Gaza and other conflict zones.

Qatar: A Blend of Joy and Concern

Qatar marked the beginning of Eid on March 30, 2025, with three days of public holidays and an extended break for government employees. Doha’s Corniche and Katara Cultural Village became focal points for celebrations, with thousands gathering to enjoy fireworks and live performances.

Nevertheless, Qatari authorities and charities continued their relief efforts for Palestine, highlighting the contrast between the joyous Eid atmosphere at home and the suffering of their fellow Muslims in Gaza.

Kuwait: Extended Holidays and Reflection

In Kuwait, Eid holidays provided a nine-day break for many employees, allowing families to come together in celebration. Traditional meals and prayers remained central to the festivities, but Kuwaiti media and religious leaders also focused on the plight of Palestinians, urging the public to donate and raise awareness.

A Tale of Two Realities

Eid al-Fitr 2025 presented a stark contrast between different parts of the Muslim world. While countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait indulged in celebrations, Gaza stood in ruins, mourning its dead and struggling to find basic resources.

The divide between those celebrating and those suffering was more evident than ever, making this Eid a time of reflection for many Muslims worldwide. The call for peace and justice in Palestine echoed throughout sermons and speeches, reminding the world that while the spirit of Eid is about joy and gratitude, it is also about unity, compassion, and standing with those in need.

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