Trinamool Congress

After the Supreme Court last week lifted the ban on its screening, the civil society and celebrities welcomed the apex court verdict and criticised the state government for its "undemocratic" approach to any creative work. The first to go vocal against the ban was painter Subhaprasanna, known to be close to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata since her days in the opposition during the previous Left Front government.

"ED and CBI are extremely scared of Trinamool Congress. This is because Trinamool Congress is with common people and the common people are with Trinamool Congress. Our party is constituted of the common people," Mamata Banerjee said while virtually addressing a party rally at Chawk Patrasayer in Bankura district.

Banerjee, who is in Bankura district now for his pre-scheduled party programme, has confirmed that he will abide by the summon and for that purpose he will be coming back to Kolkata on Friday only. According to the summons dated May 19, issued by CBI's Deputy Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Samal, Banerjee has been asked to be present at the agency's Nizam Palace office in central Kolkata by 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Trinamool MLA Ajit Maiti's comments on Sunday equating the Kurmi agitation with the Khalistan movement have irked the community members further, who have now called for a total boycott of the panchayat polls. Although Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself has apologised on behalf of Ajit Maiti for the latter's comments, it didn't seem to have satisfied the Kurmi leaders.

"The Kurmi movement is a deliberate attempt to malign Trinamool Congress and the state government. Some of their leaders are behaving like those spearheading the Khalistan movement. These Kurmi leaders are getting the support of the opposition parties, especially from BJP," Maiti was heard saying in the video.

"The next Lok Sabha polls will be for change. If all the opposition parties unite, the defeat of BJP will be inevitable. The country needs a change. Let the 2024 polls bring that change," Mamata Banerjee said in the video message. However, she did not make it clear whether Congress features in the blueprint of Trinamool Congress' united opposition alliance.

"I have nothing against any party, including the Trinamool Congress. When I hear and review any case, I try to judge whether any sort of corruption is involved," Gangopadhyay told mediapersons outside the court premises on Monday. He pointed out that the name of Abhishek Banerjee surfaced in the alleged recruitment scam only after Kuntal Ghosh, who has been arrested in connection with the alleged recruitment scam, referred to pressure being put on him by the central agencies to name the Trinamool leader in the alleged scam.

Sources have said that Nitish Kumar will go to Kolkata by special flight in the afternoon and meet Banerjee. He will discuss the points on which opposition parties are uniting against the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.It is expected that he will stay for three to four hours in Kolkata, including one and half or two hours meeting with his West Bengal counterpart. However, leaders of Banerjee's Trinamool Congress had earlier pegged the Nitish Kumar-Banerjee meeting for April 25.

"I personally do not have any reservation about same-sex marriage. India is a democratic country. Everyone here has the liberty to choose his or her life partner. This is my personal opinion," the Trinamool Lok Sabha MP said. His comments came a day after West Bengal Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee had said that understanding the public pulse is an important aspect and a deciding factor in the debate on same-sex marriage in the country.

"Our Chief Minister had said on Wednesday that she will resign if Adhikari's claims are proved. The leader of opposition often claims that he will soon make Mamata Banerjee a 'former' Chief Minister. So, this is a golden opportunity for him to achieve that. Let him give the proof and achieve his goal," Abhishek Banerjee told mediapersons here.