Trinamool Congress snatches Nandigram from Left by huge margin

September 23rd, 2009 KOLKATA - A 12-hour shutdown was observed Wednesday in West Bengal's Nandigram following the killing of a local Trinamool Congress leader by a group of unidentified persons. "The shutdown is peaceful.

May 24th, 2009 KOLKATA - With the Lok Sabha poll process over and West Bengal's opposition Trinamool Congress winning Tamluk seat, Jakir Hussain Khan, 30, of Tekhali village and others in West Bengal's Nandigram region long for return to peace after more than two years of political clashes. "We have seen enough blood-letting in Nandigram.

May 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - After the Congress-Trinamool alliance's body blow to West Bengal's ruling Left in the hustings, Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday said that Trinamool Congress supreme Mamata Banerjee could be the next chief minister of the state. In an interview to NDTV news channel, Mukherjee, the West Bengal state Congress president, said it was possible that Banerjee would emerge as the next head of the state after the electoral rout of the Left after three decades.

May 16th, 2009 KOLKATA - Jubilant Trinamool Congress supporters waved the victory sign and celebrated in the West Bengal capital Saturday after the party along with its ally the Congress established a clear lead in the Left-ruled state as voting trends indicated. The Trinamool was leading in 13 constituencies while alliance partner Congress was ahead in five out of the 32 seats for which trends were available.

May 11th, 2009 KOLKATA - West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Monday declined to apologise for auto major Tata Motors shifting the Nano plant from Singur, but said he felt remorse over the police firing in Nandigram two years back that left 14 people dead. 'Why should I seek apology for the Singur issue? The state government has no responsibility behind the decision of Tata Motors to pull out from Singur.

May 10th, 2009 KOLKATA - The West Bengal government may ask for deployment of central paramilitary forces in East Midnapore's trouble-torn Nandigram if the law and order situation deteriorates, an official said here Sunday. 'If the law and order situation in Nandigram further deteriorates, we'll have to take action to bring that under control.

May 7th, 2009 KOLKATA - West Bengal's ruling Left Front Thursday said the second-phase polling was by and large peaceful, except a few sporadic incidents of violence in the state. 'Overall, today's (Thursday) election was more or less conducted in a peaceful manner, except a few incidents of violence triggered by the opposition Trinamool Congress in different parliamentary constituencies,' state Left Front chairman Biman Bose told the media.

May 7th, 2009 NANDIGRAM - Two people were seriously injured in West Bengal's volatile Nandigram area when activists of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the opposition Trinamool Congress clashed in at least two places during the second phase of polling in the state Thursday. Two people were injured when their heads were hit with rifle butts in Adhikaripara area of Nandigram, which falls in East Midnapore district, police said.

May 6th, 2009 KOLKATA - West Bengal's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Wednesday alleged that activists of the opposition Trinamool Congress were threatening villagers in Tamluk constituency, within which Nandigram comes, ahead of the polls Thursday. 'Trinamool Congress activists are constantly terrorising villagers so that they won't vote for the Left Front-nominated candidate in tomorrow's polls.

May 3rd, 2009 KOLKATA - One person was arrested Sunday in East Midnapore district of West Bengal in connection with the murder of a Trinamool Congress leader, police said. 'Chandra Mohan Sahi, a resident of Khejuri block, was arrested Sunday morning in connection with Prasanta Mondal's murder.

March 15th, 2009 NANDIGRAM - West Bengal's main opposition Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Saturday kicked off her election campaign from this rural belt that flared up two years ago over a proposed chemical hub project. Banerjee also released the Trinamool's election manifesto at a public gathering and promised that her party would continue to focus on the state's economic development.

March 1st, 2009 KOLKATA - West Bengal's main opposition Trinamool Congress Sunday wrested the Bishnupur (West) assembly seat from the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) with a huge margin in a by-election, giving a fresh jolt to the ruling Left Front. Trinamool Congress candidate Madan Mitra trounced CPI-M's Iskandar Hossain by 30,395 votes in the by-poll held Feb 26.

January 8th, 2009 KOLKATA - The Trinamool Congress Friday snatched from West Bengal's ruling Left Front the troubled Nandigram constituency, which had witnessed violent protests against a proposed industrial project. In two other results, the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) won the Sujapur and Para assembly seats respectively in by-elections held Jan 5.

January 5th, 2009 KOLKATA - West Bengal's ruling Left Front chairman Biman Bose Tuesday said the by-election in troubled Nandigram constituency was marred by opposition Trinamool Congress threats to voters. 'Apparently everything was very peaceful in Nandigram during the assembly by-poll Monday.

January 2nd, 2009 NANDIGRAM - Mamata Banerjee, chief of West Bengal's principal opposition party Trinamool Congress, Saturday said the state's Left Front government was nearing its end as the people were determined to bring in a change. Addressing a rally in this East Midnapore district area, which is slated to witness an assembly by-poll Monday, Banerjee urged the electorate to guide the state's people to the change.