Internal bickering: TMC emerges as the biggest enemy of TMC in West Bengal

News Network
February 13, 2022

Kolkata, Feb 14: With the BJP struggling to negotiate with its own organisational differences, and the Left and the Congress becoming regularly irrelevant in West Bengal politics just before the corporation and municipal elections -- the Trinamool Congress seems to have emerged as the biggest enemy of Trinamool Congress.

The ruling party has bagged three municipalities even before the filing of nominations is over, but that has raised several questions within the party, challenging not only the supremacy of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but also exposing the chinks within the party that are likely to become bigger in the days to come.

The internal differences within the party came to the fore following a Facebook post by a young Trinamool Congress leader Debangshu Bhattacharya, considered to be close to Abhishek Banerjee.

Bhattacharya wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday: "Some people create disturbances in the elections because of their narrow personal gains and that is resulting in unrest in the local body polls. The police should be given 100 per cent free hand and if needed double number of central forces should be deployed in the municipal polls."

Bhattacharya was definitely indicating the ongoing controversy of the walkover in three municipalities -- Budge Budge, Sainthia and Dinhata -- where Trinamool Congress grabbed power even before the nominations were over.

Bhattacharya further wrote: "If there is one 2018 then another 2019 is not far to come. Every time it will not be 2021."

He was indicating at the panchayat elections of 2018 when Trinamool Congress grabbed 34 panchayats without any contest and, according to him, the result was evident in 2019 Lok Sabha elections when the BJP won 22 Lok Sabha seats -- the highest it has managed in the state so far.

The youth leader also said that the party will not be able to perform like it did in the 2021 Assembly elections when it swept the polls over with 234 seats.

"The people will not forgive even if they go with folded hands. Those who create unrest will 'make a setting' with the ruling party, but the workers and the supporters will have to face the backlash - they will die," he added.

Though the Trinamool leadership is considering the uncontested wins as the organisational and the political weakness of the opposition, particularly the BJP, the post by Bhattacharya is indicative of the growing resentment within the party.

Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said, "The opposition was elated after getting 38 per cent votes in the Assembly polls but in the last seven/eight months, they were only seen quarrelling with themselves. They have not been able to come to any help of the common people. They have failed to find candidates for even their own party."

Though Chatterjee tried to put up a brave face and blamed it on the opposition, insiders in the party feel that the differences between the older version and the newer version of Trinamool are becoming apparent with each passing day.

More importantly, Chatterjee's version comes in direct conflict with the promise made by party leader Abhishek Banerjee.

Abhishek Banerjee had announced that the civic polls will be peaceful and will be done in a democratic manner, but leaders close to him said that he failed to keep his promise not only in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections but also in the upcoming civic polls where cases of threats and kidnapping of candidates are in abundance.

The situation went to an extent that there were strong indications in view of the ongoing differences between the senior leaders of the party, including Mamata Banerjee herself and I-PAC -- while Abhishek Banerjee is likely to leave the organisational responsibilities of the party and continue to work only as the MP of Diamond Harbour.

Abhishek Banerjee is likely to make the announcement after the Goa Assembly polls scheduled on February 14. Either on the polling day, or the day after.

As a result, Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Saturday dissolved all the existing posts and formed a 20-member national working committee after a meeting with some senior party leaders at her Kalighat residence. The names of the new office-bearers will be announced later by Banerjee herself.

"The Trinamool chief might have deferred the problem by dissolving all the existing posts, but this is not a solution. She will have to find an alternative mechanism to create a bridge between the old and new leaders of the party, else the problem will again crop up in a different form. The present decision to dissolve all the existing posts will give her some time, but it will be a thing to watch how she handles the party in this crucial situation," a senior party leader said.

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News Network
November 29,2025

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New Delhi: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Saturday put up a dramatic display of unity at a closely watched joint press briefing, firmly dismissing weeks of speculation about a power-sharing tussle within the Congress. With the high command nudging both leaders to sit together and settle the dust, the meeting became a political spectacle, ending with the duo declaring that there was “no confusion, no differences.”

Calling the reports of a rift “manufactured confusion,” Siddaramaiah said the talks had gone smoothly, even joking about their breakfast. “Breakfast was very good. All three of us enjoyed it,” he said. “We want to end this confusion once and for all. For local elections and for 2028, our mission is clear — Congress must return to power. There is no difference between me and DKS, not now, not before.”

He blamed the media for fuelling rumours and reiterated absolute adherence to the party leadership. “From tomorrow, let there be no confusion. What the high command says, we will follow.”

Siddaramaiah also assured that the Assembly session starting December 8 would run smoothly and vowed that Congress would take on the BJP and JD(S) “together.”

Shivakumar echoed the chief minister word for word, stressing loyalty and discipline. “People have given us a massive mandate. It is our duty to deliver,” he said. “This government was formed under Siddaramaiah’s leadership. We both have complete trust in the high command. If they tell me to wait, I will wait.”

He added that the two leaders had discussed strategy for the 2028 Assembly elections. “Whatever the CM says, I agree. We are loyal soldiers of the party. The party may be facing challenges nationally, but we will keep it strong in Karnataka.”

Shivakumar also said Siddaramaiah would soon visit his home for lunch or dinner — another symbolic gesture meant to underline their unity.

Both leaders later posted on social media describing the breakfast meeting as “productive” and focused on “Karnataka’s priorities.”

The BJP, however, rejected the show of camaraderie as “pure bunkum,” accusing Congress of trying to paper over an internal power struggle. But Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar insisted their united front would continue — and that there was “no confusion” within the state leadership.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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News Network
December 5,2025

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New Delhi, Dec 5: IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers issued a public apology this evening after more than a thousand flights were cancelled today, making it the "most severely impacted day" in terms of cancellations. The biggest airline of the country cancelled "more than half" of its daily number of flights on Friday, said Elbers. He also said that even though the crisis will persist on Saturday, the airline anticipates fewer than 1,000 flight cancellations.

"Full normalisation is expected between December 10 and 15, though IndiGo cautions that recovery will take time due to the scale of operations," the IndiGo CEO said. 

IndiGo operates around 2,300 domestic and international flights daily.

Pieter Elbers, while apologising for the major inconvenience due to delays and cancellations, said the situation is a result of various causes.

The crisis at IndiGo stems from new regulations that boost pilots' weekly rest requirements by 12 hours to 48 and allow only two night-time landings per week, down from six. IndiGo has attributed the mass cancellations to "misjudgment and planning gaps".

Elbers also listed three lines of action that the airline will adopt to address the issue.

"Firstly, customer communication and addressing your needs, for this, messages have been sent on social media. And just now, a more detailed communication with information, refunds, cancellations and other customer support measures was sent," he said.

The airline has also stepped up its call centre capacity.

"Secondly, due to yesterday's situation, we had customers stranded mostly at the nation's largest airports. Our focus was for all of them to be able to travel today itself, which will be achieved. For this, we also ask customers whose flights are cancelled not to come to the airports as notifications are sent," the CEO said.

"Thirdly, cancellations were made for today to align our crew and planes to be where they need to start tomorrow morning afresh. Earlier measures of the last few days, regrettable, have proven not to be enough, but we have decided today to reboot all our systems and schedules, resulting in the highest numbers of cancellations so far, but imperative for progressive improvements starting from tomorrow," he added.

As airports witnessed chaotic scenes, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stepped in to grant IndiGo a temporary exemption from stricter night duty rules for pilots. It also allowed substitution of leaves with a weekly rest period. 

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has said a high-level inquiry will be ordered and accountability will be fixed.

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