The CPI(M) seems to be reconciled to the idea that the Assembly elections in Bengal and Kerala will be a “lost” battle. In its desperate bid to retain power in the two states, at the CPI(M) extended central committee meeting held at Vijayawada, the party satraps decided to go back to the time-tested strategy of painting the Opposition as “representing the interests of the big capitalists, landlords, the rich and the vested interests that seek a strategic alliance with imperialism and who use

Trinamool Congress chief and railway minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday welcomed Maoist leader Kishenji's ceasefire offer and said all problems should be solved by diplomatic process.

Coca-Cola India on Tuesday entered the dairy business launching Maaza Milky Delite, a blend of mango pulp and milk.

Railway minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee would attend the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Saturday. “I hope that she will recover soon and will attend the last leg of the monsoon session,” he said. Mr Mukherjee who flew down to the city to see an ailing Ms Banerjee, was speaking after his meeting with her at her Kalighat home.

The Congress has demanded that the state government should declare the areas which have received inadequate rainfall as drought-hit within seven days’ time. After a meeting with the chief minister at the Writers’ Buildings on Friday, Mr Bhunia said, “We have urged the chief minister to announce drought in seven days through a gazette notification which would provide some benefit to the farmers in paying their bank loans.”

The Maoists intensified their movement in West Midnapore on Friday. Suspected Maoists killed a CPI(M) supporter and torched three vehicles in two different places across the West Midnapore district. A culvert, a few kilometres away from Lalgarh, was also blown off by suspected Maoists on Friday morning.

The chief executive officer (CEO) of the Yuba Bharati Krirangan, the hub of sports and games in West Bengal, had come under the scanner of the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) for incurring an “excess expenditure” of Rs 27.15 lakhs during the 2008-09 fiscal in procuring lamps at higher rates than the maximum retail price to improve the illumination level of the floodlights at the stadium.

In a daring dacoity, Rs 39 lakh were looted by a gang in Kharagpur. The daylight robbery took place at around 12.30 pm in Malancha Road area of Kharagpur town.
The personnel of a private security agency were bringing the large sum from Big Bazar shopping mall to deposit in a private bank.

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Friday launched a welfare scheme for the transport workers in the state. Under this scheme, every transport worker after attaining 60 years of age will get a monthly pension. Besides, the scheme will offer a series of other benefits to the transport workers. Nearly, 15 lakh unorganised transport workers in the state will get benefit of this scheme.

The secretary of Maoist-backed People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA), Manoj Mahato on Friday urged the people of Jangalmahal to vote against the CPI(M) in the forthcoming Assembly polls.