Assembly Elections 2026 LIVE: Abhishek Banerjee says BJP supporters abused TMC woman worker

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a roadshow in support of Trinamool Congress candidates ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

People gathered on both sides of the road, and those standing on balconies and rooftops waved at the TMC supremo as she greeted them with folded hands.

Mr. Banerjee walked from the Steel Market crossing to Bhiringi More, a distance of nearly two km, flanked by TMC candidates from Durgapur and adjoining constituencies.

-PTI

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday (April 17) assured a drug-free Tamil Nadu if his party comes to power in the upcoming Assembly elections.

During a poll campaign at Sangagiri here, he said, “Students are addicted to drug abuse, and the time has come to put an end to it. Once the AIADMK assumes power, the sale of ganja will be completely eradicated. We will transform Tamil Nadu into a drug-free State”.

“The situation has become so dire that even a two-year-old child is not spared; they are subjected to sexual violence and murder,” he said, adding, “If women in Tamil Nadu are to be safe, the AIADMK Government must be restored to power”.

– PTI

Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Friday (April 17) alleged that BJP supporters abused a woman party worker in the presence of her two-year-old daughter in West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district.

Expressing hope that the Election Commission would take action against those involved in the “heinous attack on the woman”, he said that while one person has been arrested, all those named in the FIR should be brought to book.

Alleging that some CPI(M) workers who later joined the BJP were involved in the incident targeting Sathi Gorai Kuila at Sabang, Mr. Banerjee said, “I am giving my word, after May 4 — the day of counting — we will bring all those behind the incident and not arrested by police to Sathi’s residence and make them apologise to her.” 

– PTI

AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, on Friday (April 17, 2026) dismissed as “unnecessary melodrama” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin’s protest against the Delimitation Bill and criticism against his party that by supporting the legislative measure, the AIADMK was “betraying the interests” of the State.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre was using the proposed amendment to the women’s quota law in Parliament as a front for the Delimitation Bill that would “break the country into pieces”.

The TMC will fight this Central Government’s move at every step, she asserted at her party’s poll rally in Cooch Behar. Ms. Banerjee alleged that “the BJP brought the Delimitation Bill while keeping the women’s reservation bill at the front”.

“The BJP is trying to increase the number of seats in the Lok Sabha to nearly 850 through the Delimitation Bill. It will break the country into pieces,” the TMC supremo said.

– PTI

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien on Friday (April 17) questioned the “rush” in appointing Harivansh as the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, and pointed out that Lok Sabha has not had a Deputy Speaker in seven years.

The remarks came after TMC and SP MPs staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha as a resolution for the election of nominated MP Harivansh as Deputy Chairman was taken up. This is the first time a nominated MP has been appointed Deputy Chairman of the Upper House.

“No Deputy Speaker has been appointed in the Lok Sabha in seven years. What was the need to rush this election in the special three-day sitting when West Bengal and Tamil Nadu assembly polls are on,” Mr. O’Brien said in a statement after the walkout.

– PTI

Congress leader and Kozhikode MP M.K. Raghavan has flayed a section of his party colleagues over the public row regarding the Chief Ministerial candidate even before the declaration of results of the Kerala Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Friday, Mr. Raghavan warned that “dragging internal leadership disputes into the streets was damaging the party’s reputation and prospects.”

Kerala elections: Kozhikode MP M.K. Raghavan slams Congress leaders’ public spat over CM candidate

M.K. Raghavan criticizes Congress leaders’ public disputes over the CM candidate, warning it harms the party’s reputation and unity.

Nijesh Aravind, general secretary of the District Congress Committee (DCC) in Kozhikode, Kerala, has resigned from his post alleging attempts to “sideline” him in party activities.

Mr. Aravind submitted his resignation to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Friday (April 17, 2026), claiming that he was “deliberately excluded” from election campaign responsibilities.

Click here to read more on this…

Income Tax Department officials on Friday (April 17, 2026) carried out searches on the premises linked to the associates of former Minister and DMK’s Coimbatore South candidate V. Senthilbalaji in Karur.

According to sources, the officials who assembled at Karur on Friday morning began searches at four locations simultaneously, at around 10 a.m. The house of PWD contractor M.C.S. Sankar, Kongu Mess, and Sakthi Mess were among the properties where searches were undertaken.

Click here to read more on this…

The Income Tax Department on Friday (April 17, 2026) held searches at the residence and election office of Debasish Kumar, a senior Trinamool Congress leader and candidate from the Rashbehari Assembly seat. Mr. Kumar, a key Trinamool leader of South Kolkata, was questioned on two occasions by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a land grabbing case.

On Friday (April 17) morning, a team of Income Tax officials reached the residence of Rashbihari MLA Debashis Kumar on Manoharpukur Road. Not only his residence, but the Income Tax officials also raided his election office on Manoharpukur Road.

Alleging that the TMC had hatched a conspiracy to include names of infiltrators in the electoral rolls, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed that while the party was objecting to the SIR exercise, people whose names have been deleted for “rightful reasons” did not protest.

Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Mr. Fadnavis said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has constitutional provisions to address grievances of those left out of the electoral rolls.

“Those whose names were deleted for rightful reasons did not protest. Why does only the TMC have an issue? The Supreme Court made certain observations about SIR but did not stop it, yet the TMC wanted to halt the process altogether,” he said.

“The SIR has constitutional provisions that till the end, if any wronged person seeks redressal, they can take legal recourse and appeal. I hail the Supreme Court order in this regard,” he said.

Mr. Fadnavis asserted that such an exercise should be conducted every 10 years to remove names of the dead, shifted, and unauthorised voters, alleging that the ruling TMC opposed it to win the upcoming Assembly polls through “fraudulent means”.

– PTI

Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Friday alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress was issuing “fake press identification cards” to its workers to gain access to polling stations and manipulate the election process.

The allegation came a day after the TMC accused the BJP of violating the poll code by “launching a scheme called ‘Matrishakti Bhorsa Card’, promising financial assistance to women, and distributing forms across constituencies in the final days before polling”.

It termed the move as the “BJP’s electoral bribery” and demanded action against its leaders.

– PTI

In East Tambaram, Chitlapakkam and Thiruneermalai, posters are up, urging voters to keep their conscience and palms clean. As part of what is called “My Vote Is Not For Sale” campaign, Chitlapakkam Rising volunteers went from door to door in Chitlapakkam and surrounding areas and enjoined voters to refuse money offered for votes and also reject the candidates guilty of this impropriety.

Click below to read more on this:

Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections: Voters urged to keep conscience and palms clean

In Tambaram and Thiruneermalai, resident associations and activist groups run campaigns to prevent voters from accepting cash for votes

In a last week West Bengal poll campaign push, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) chairperson and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday turned up the heat against what she calls the “Bangla Birodhi” Bharatiya Janata Party.Campaigning for candidates contesting from various seats in the Cooch Behar district on Thursday, CM Banerjee vowed to fight for protecting Bengal, safeguarding people’s rights, and preserving its secular fabric.“As long as I stand, I will not allow the Bangla-Birodhi Zamindars to inflict misery or suffering on the people of this land. I will fight to protect Bengal, safeguard the rights of those I am elected to serve, secure the future of this beautiful state, and preserve our secular fabric and inclusive ethos against every force that seeks to tear it apart,” she posted on X, posting a campaign rally video alongside.– ANI

The Income Tax Department on Friday conducted searches at two premises linked to TMC MLA Debasish Kumar, who is seeking a re-election from the Rashbehari seat in south Kolkata, officials said.

Simultaneous searches began at his house on Manoharpukur Road and his election office around 6 am, they said.

The reason behind the searches was not immediately known.– PTI

The ruling TMC and opposition BJP on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision allowing voters whose cases have been cleared by tribunals to exercise their franchise in the West Bengal assembly polls.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the SC has given the direction in a case filed by her.

“Those whose names have been left out should apply to the tribunal. They will certainly get back their voting rights. I am very happy. This verdict has come in a case filed by me. I am proud of the judiciary. No one is happier than I am today,” she said in Cooch Behar.– PTI

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said he has campaigned in almost 100 constituencies in the last 16 days and is getting “positive feedback” from people.“We are getting very positive feedback from the people. I have campaigned in almost 100 constituencies now in the last 16 days. Wherever we go, we are getting a very overwhelming response. We are very sure, we will sweep this election…,” DMK candidate for the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni constituency told ANI on Thursday.– ANI