Gargi Kaul

New Delhi, Delhi, India

Of the four key ministers who were eased out in the Wednesday's <a href="https://opoyi.com/topic/cabinetreshuffle">reshuffle </a>of the Narendra Modi <a href="https://opoyi.com/pm-modis-cabinet-reshuffle-who-gets-what">cabinet</a>, Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan's did not surprise many. His exit was seen as a much-needed course correction to reassure the country that the government is in control in its war on COVID and all is not lost.,<a href="https://opoyi.com/why-did-the-key-modi-ministers-ravi-shankar-prasad-prakash-javadekar-and-dr-harsh-vardhan-resign">Dr Harsh Vardhan</a>, along with senior ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Prakash Javadekar and Ramesh Pokhriyal, resigned within hours to go for the mega reshuffle that saw 12 sitting ministers being axed and 36 new faces being inducted. The reshuffle took the strength of the Cabinet to 78, including the PM, just a shade short of the stipulated 81.,Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/who-is-kiren-rijiju">Kiren Rijiju scores big in PM Modi’s review, gets Law Ministry</a>,Dr Harsh Vardhan's exit was seen as a strong sign of the government's admission of gaps in the handling of the deadly second wave of coronavirus. Vardhan had been under scanner for a long time with the PM holding regular meetings over COVID where the minister reportedly made presentations and was asked discomforting questions.,The second wave of COVID-19, that claimed over one lakh lives, not only dented the government's image internationally, it also exposed the weaknesses in health infrastructure. The shortage of key medicines and <a href="https://opoyi.com/topic/oxygenshortage">oxygen cylinders</a> and social media cries for help going viral did not help. Coupled with the vaccine shortage in early phases of the inoculation drive hit Dr Vardhan hard.,Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/who-is-mansukh-mandaviya">Who is Mansukh Mandaviya, the new health minister?</a>,The bad press that the government got as visuals of people struggling for oxygen and dying for want of medical care made international headlines, warranted a strong action, a makeover before the elections in 5 states next year and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Also going down with the Health minister was his deputy Ashwini Kumar Choubey.,Axing of both ministers is an indication that the PM wanted to start the crucial ministry on a clean slate and give the new team time to devise strategies before the predicted third wave of COVID-19.,Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/in-mega-cabinet-reshuffle-modi-government-includes-7-women-in-council">In mega cabinet reshuffle, Modi government includes 7 women in council</a>,The Opposition was quick to attack the government and said the blame actually lay with the PM. “The NDMA is responsible for criminal mismanagement of COVID19. It is headed by the Prime Minister. Will the PM take responsibility for his failures? Or will the PM only make Dr. Harsh Vardhan the scapegoat…” Congress communications department head Randeep Surjewala said.

{\"time\":1625714623396,\"strCount\":3083,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\n\\nOf the four key ministers who were eased out in the Wednesday's <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/cabinetreshuffle\\\">reshuffle </a>of the Narendra Modi <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/pm-modis-cabinet-reshuffle-who-gets-what\\\">cabinet</a>, Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan's did not surprise many. His exit was seen as a much-needed course correction to reassure the country that the government is in control in its war on COVID and all is not lost.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/why-did-the-key-modi-ministers-ravi-shankar-prasad-prakash-javadekar-and-dr-harsh-vardhan-resign\\\">Dr Harsh Vardhan</a>, along with senior ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Prakash Javadekar and Ramesh Pokhriyal, resigned within hours to go for the mega reshuffle that saw 12 sitting ministers being axed and 36 new faces being inducted. The reshuffle took the strength of the Cabinet to 78, including the PM, just a shade short of the stipulated 81.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/who-is-kiren-rijiju\\\">Kiren Rijiju scores big in PM Modi’s review, gets Law Ministry</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Dr Harsh Vardhan's exit was seen as a strong sign of the government's admission of gaps in the handling of the deadly second wave of coronavirus. Vardhan had been under scanner for a long time with the PM holding regular meetings over COVID where the minister reportedly made presentations and was asked discomforting questions.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The second wave of COVID-19, that claimed over one lakh lives, not only dented the government's image internationally, it also exposed the weaknesses in health infrastructure. The shortage of key medicines and <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/oxygenshortage\\\">oxygen cylinders</a> and social media cries for help going viral did not help. Coupled with the vaccine shortage in early phases of the inoculation drive hit Dr Vardhan hard.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/who-is-mansukh-mandaviya\\\">Who is Mansukh Mandaviya, the new health minister?</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The bad press that the government got as visuals of people struggling for oxygen and dying for want of medical care made international headlines, warranted a strong action, a makeover before the elections in 5 states next year and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Also going down with the Health minister was his deputy Ashwini Kumar Choubey.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Axing of both ministers is an indication that the PM wanted to start the crucial ministry on a clean slate and give the new team time to devise strategies before the predicted third wave of COVID-19.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/in-mega-cabinet-reshuffle-modi-government-includes-7-women-in-council\\\">In mega cabinet reshuffle, Modi government includes 7 women in council</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The Opposition was quick to attack the government and said the blame actually lay with the PM. “The NDMA is responsible for criminal mismanagement of COVID19. It is headed by the Prime Minister. Will the PM take responsibility for his failures? Or will the PM only make Dr. Harsh Vardhan the scapegoat…” Congress communications department head Randeep Surjewala said.\\n\\n\"}}]}

<ul>
 <li>Dr Harsh Vardhan, along with three other senior ministers, was left out of the Cabinet</li>
 <li>Vardhan's exit was meant to convey that the government is in control in its war on COVID</li>
 <li>Vardhan had been under scanner for a long time with the PM holding regular meetings over COVID</li>
</ul>

Opoyi Central

Harsh Vardhan's exit a much needed course correction

CabinetReshuffle

Harshvardhan

NarendraModi

Covid19

Health

If the mega reshuffle of the <a href="https://opoyi.com/topic/cabinetreshuffle">Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet</a> was a report card of ministers' performance, then some ministers passed with flying colours, scoring straight As. Seven ministers, who were among the 43 who took oath today, earned promotions to cabinet rank from MoS post.,Those who aced the review and earned promotions were Kiren Rijiju (Arunachal Pradesh), Anurag Singh Thakur (Himachal Pradesh), <a href="https://opoyi.com/pm-modi-to-monitor-ministry-of-science-technology-amit-shah-gets-ministry-of-cooperation?ref=share_post">Hardeep Singh Puri (Punjab), Parshottam Rupala (Gujarat), Mansukh Mandaviya (Gujarat)</a>, G Kishan Reddy (Telangana), and RK Singh (Bihar).,Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/why-did-the-key-modi-ministers-ravi-shankar-prasad-prakash-javadekar-and-dr-harsh-vardhan-resign?ref=share_post">Behind the 3 high-profile exits from PM Modi’s cabinet</a>,So what worked for these leaders? A quick analysis points to a combination of performance and politics. Let's take a look.,Kiren Rijiju,He was the Minister of State of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs of India. His promotion is seen as part of the BJP's bid to strengthen its roots in the northeast, which accounts for 25 Lok Sabha seats. Also Manipur goes to polls next year. As far as performance goes, Rijiju has had a trouble-free stint without any controversy so far and a clean image. The social media saavy minister is often seen participating in online health challenges and lauding regional achievements.,Anurag Thakur,Thakur, a cricketer-turned-politician, is also an industrialist and agriculturist. He was serving as minister of state in finance and corporate affairs. This Himachal leader's elevation is being seen as an attempt to strengthen base in Himachal Pradesh, which goes to polls early 2023. Thakur represents the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency and is among the youngest in the Modi cabinet. He has been in the forefront of defending government policies and served in various Parliamentary committees.,Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/in-mega-cabinet-reshuffle-modi-government-includes-7-women-in-council?ref=share_post">In mega cabinet reshuffle, Modi government includes 7 women in council</a>,Hardeep Singh Puri,Puri hails from Punjab, the state that is going to polls next year. He served as MoS Civil Aviation but his expertise is also in business and commerce. The 1974 batch Indian Foreign Service officer served as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013. This pro-reforms minister may not have a mass base in Punjab but could be the face of BJP's push in the state where it had been thus far piggybacking on its former ally Akali Dal.,Parshottam Rupala,Rupala was the union MoS for Panchayati Raj. Belonging to the influential Patidar community, &nbsp;Rupala's elevation could also be a poll plan for the state that goes to polls in late 2022. He is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.,Mansukh Mandaviya,Mansukh Mandaviya also hails from poll-bound Gijarat and belongs to the Patidar community. The fact that the PM trusted him with the health ministry in the time of COVID shows the trust Modi has in him. A Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat he held the post of Minister of state for Health and Family Welfare India as well as Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Union Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilizers.,G Kishan Reddy,Reddy was the former president &nbsp;of the BJP in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He is an old RSS, ABVP hand and got his first break as an MoS to Amit Shah's Home ministry. His elevation could be a part of BJP's focus on Telangana where they made gains in Greater Hyderabad corporation elections and got a good number of votes in some Lok Sabha seats too. That he belongs to the politically-dominant Reddy community is a plus too.,RK Singh,RK Singh is a Rajput from Bihar, a former IAS officer, former union Home secretary. He served as a minister of state for Skill Development and largely kept a low profile. His being a Rajput from Bihar is seen as an attempt to woo the community in the state where RJD and BJP are vying for the their attention. A former bureaucrat, &nbsp;Singh is a member of Parliament for Arrah, Bihar, since May 2014.&nbsp;

{\"time\":1625706078204,\"strCount\":4476,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\n\\nIf the mega reshuffle of the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/cabinetreshuffle\\\">Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet</a> was a report card of ministers' performance, then some ministers passed with flying colours, scoring straight As. Seven ministers, who were among the 43 who took oath today, earned promotions to cabinet rank from MoS post.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Those who aced the review and earned promotions were Kiren Rijiju (Arunachal Pradesh), Anurag Singh Thakur (Himachal Pradesh), <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/pm-modi-to-monitor-ministry-of-science-technology-amit-shah-gets-ministry-of-cooperation?ref=share_post\\\">Hardeep Singh Puri (Punjab), Parshottam Rupala (Gujarat), Mansukh Mandaviya (Gujarat)</a>, G Kishan Reddy (Telangana), and RK Singh (Bihar).\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/why-did-the-key-modi-ministers-ravi-shankar-prasad-prakash-javadekar-and-dr-harsh-vardhan-resign?ref=share_post\\\">Behind the 3 high-profile exits from PM Modi’s cabinet</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"So what worked for these leaders? A quick analysis points to a combination of performance and politics. Let's take a look.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Kiren Rijiju\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"He was the Minister of State of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs of India. His promotion is seen as part of the BJP's bid to strengthen its roots in the northeast, which accounts for 25 Lok Sabha seats. Also Manipur goes to polls next year. As far as performance goes, Rijiju has had a trouble-free stint without any controversy so far and a clean image. The social media saavy minister is often seen participating in online health challenges and lauding regional achievements.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Anurag Thakur\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Thakur, a cricketer-turned-politician, is also an industrialist and agriculturist. He was serving as minister of state in finance and corporate affairs. This Himachal leader's elevation is being seen as an attempt to strengthen base in Himachal Pradesh, which goes to polls early 2023. Thakur represents the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency and is among the youngest in the Modi cabinet. He has been in the forefront of defending government policies and served in various Parliamentary committees.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/in-mega-cabinet-reshuffle-modi-government-includes-7-women-in-council?ref=share_post\\\">In mega cabinet reshuffle, Modi government includes 7 women in council</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Hardeep Singh Puri\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Puri hails from Punjab, the state that is going to polls next year. He served as MoS Civil Aviation but his expertise is also in business and commerce. The 1974 batch Indian Foreign Service officer served as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013. This pro-reforms minister may not have a mass base in Punjab but could be the face of BJP's push in the state where it had been thus far piggybacking on its former ally Akali Dal.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Parshottam Rupala\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Rupala was the union MoS for Panchayati Raj. Belonging to the influential Patidar community, &nbsp;Rupala's elevation could also be a poll plan for the state that goes to polls in late 2022. He is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Mansukh Mandaviya\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Mansukh Mandaviya also hails from poll-bound Gijarat and belongs to the Patidar community. The fact that the PM trusted him with the health ministry in the time of COVID shows the trust Modi has in him. A Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat he held the post of Minister of state for Health and Family Welfare India as well as Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Union Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilizers.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"G Kishan Reddy\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Reddy was the former president &nbsp;of the BJP in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He is an old RSS, ABVP hand and got his first break as an MoS to Amit Shah's Home ministry. His elevation could be a part of BJP's focus on Telangana where they made gains in Greater Hyderabad corporation elections and got a good number of votes in some Lok Sabha seats too. That he belongs to the politically-dominant Reddy community is a plus too.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"RK Singh\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"RK Singh is a Rajput from Bihar, a former IAS officer, former union Home secretary. He served as a minister of state for Skill Development and largely kept a low profile. His being a Rajput from Bihar is seen as an attempt to woo the community in the state where RJD and BJP are vying for the their attention. A former bureaucrat, &nbsp;Singh is a member of Parliament for Arrah, Bihar, since May 2014.&nbsp;\\n\\n\"}}]}

Anjaly Raj

<ul>
 <li>Those who aced the review and earned promotions were Hardeep Singh Puri, Kiren Rijiju, Mansukh Mandaviya</li>
 <li>Anurag Thakur, new Sports Minister, was serving as minister of state in finance and corporate affairs</li>
 <li>Kiren Rijiju has been promoted to the Cabinet and named the new Law Minister&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

PM Modi's Cabinet rejig: The seven who earned promotions

KirenRijiju

AnuragThakur

HardeepSinghPuri

ParshottamRupala

MansukhMandaviya

GKishanReddy

RajKumarSingh

12.32.00 pm: Yaaaay!! <a href="https://opoyi.com/topic/friendsreunion">Friends reunion</a> is starting. Nobody will talk, not even whispers, phones off please...,12.32.20 pm: Why is it not starting? Don't they know it's time? What are they doing?,12.33 pm: What's wrong with them... why do they give the time, if they can stick to it... refresh, refresh, refresh,12.33.30 pm: Grrr...I am going to write a complaint mail to HBO, they cannot do this? Kya ho raha hai. Refresh, Refresh, Refresh,12.34 pm: Ohhhh.... finally. Quiet everyone. Shhhh... The two-minute delay in the airing of the hugely popular American sitcom <a href="https://opoyi.com/topic/friendsreunion">'Friends: The reunion'</a> almost brought the house down and the poor buttons on the TV remote control didn't know what hit them. Those longest two minutes saw my teenage daughter going from ecstasy to agony to calmness and the helpless remote go Refresh, Refresh, Refresh at least 50 times. All for the show that was done and dusted before she was born.,Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/much-anticipated-friends-the-reunion-is-here-10-best-moments-from-the-episode">Much anticipated 'Friends: The Reunion' is here: 10 best moments from the episode</a>,So, the reunion of the century, after 17 years, meant curfew in at least one room of the house and the vicinity. "This is a once in a lifetime show... repeats are not as good," I was told. Even a sigh cannot be missed. "Are we allowed to blink?" I wanted to ask, but speaking was not an option.,Also Read: <a href="https://opoyi.com/a-buttery-twist-to-friends-the-reunion">A buttery twist to 'Friends: The Reunion'</a>,And coolly slipping into the flow was no issue at all for her. How could it have been when one has watched each episode of all ten seasons at least 5 times. And to make sure that one does not mix up anything -- not even the colour of the chick and the duckling in the last episode of the last season -- she repeat-watched it just last night to 'refresh her memory'. That there was no memory to refresh is another matter. She did not have to wait for the dialogues to be delivered, she said them even before the actors opened their mouths.,Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/might-mess-things-up-friends-cast-talks-about-unspoken-rule-on-set">Might mess things up, ‘Friends’ cast talks about unspoken rule on set</a>,At 12.34 pm on Thursday, finally, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry walked out one by one, walking around the sets of the iconic show of the 90s, hugging each other, pulling out tissues and sniffling. The 15-year-old watched in rapt attention, mesmerized and misty-eyed.,I knew it was time to leave the room.

{\"time\":1622111119421,\"strCount\":2802,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\n\\n12.32.00 pm: Yaaaay!! <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/friendsreunion\\\">Friends reunion</a> is starting. Nobody will talk, not even whispers, phones off please...\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"12.32.20 pm: Why is it not starting? Don't they know it's time? What are they doing?\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"12.33 pm: What's wrong with them... why do they give the time, if they can stick to it... refresh, refresh, refresh\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"12.33.30 pm: Grrr...I am going to write a complaint mail to HBO, they cannot do this? Kya ho raha hai. Refresh, Refresh, Refresh\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"12.34 pm: Ohhhh.... finally. Quiet everyone. Shhhh... The two-minute delay in the airing of the hugely popular American sitcom <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/friendsreunion\\\">'Friends: The reunion'</a> almost brought the house down and the poor buttons on the TV remote control didn't know what hit them. Those longest two minutes saw my teenage daughter going from ecstasy to agony to calmness and the helpless remote go Refresh, Refresh, Refresh at least 50 times. All for the show that was done and dusted before she was born.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/much-anticipated-friends-the-reunion-is-here-10-best-moments-from-the-episode\\\">Much anticipated 'Friends: The Reunion' is here: 10 best moments from the episode</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"So, the reunion of the century, after 17 years, meant curfew in at least one room of the house and the vicinity. \\\"This is a once in a lifetime show... repeats are not as good,\\\" I was told. Even a sigh cannot be missed. \\\"Are we allowed to blink?\\\" I wanted to ask, but speaking was not an option.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read: <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/a-buttery-twist-to-friends-the-reunion\\\">A buttery twist to 'Friends: The Reunion'</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"And coolly slipping into the flow was no issue at all for her. How could it have been when one has watched each episode of all ten seasons at least 5 times. And to make sure that one does not mix up anything -- not even the colour of the chick and the duckling in the last episode of the last season -- she repeat-watched it just last night to 'refresh her memory'. That there was no memory to refresh is another matter. She did not have to wait for the dialogues to be delivered, she said them even before the actors opened their mouths.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/might-mess-things-up-friends-cast-talks-about-unspoken-rule-on-set\\\">Might mess things up, ‘Friends’ cast talks about unspoken rule on set</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"At 12.34 pm on Thursday, finally, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry walked out one by one, walking around the sets of the iconic show of the 90s, hugging each other, pulling out tissues and sniffling. The 15-year-old watched in rapt attention, mesmerized and misty-eyed.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"I knew it was time to leave the room.\\n\\n\"}}]}

<ul>
 <li>The cast of popular American sitcom Friends got together after 17 years</li>
 <li>The unscripted special episode was titled 'Friends: The Reunion'</li>
 <li>Several celebrities made an appearance on the show</li>
</ul>

Watching a teenager watch 'Friends: The Reunion'

FriendsReunion

Friends

Entertainment

HBOMax

JenniferAniston

LisaKudrow

CourteneyCox

MatthewPerry

A team of Uttar Pradesh police, comprising 150-member Provincial Armed Constabulary team equipped with sophisticated weapons, on Tuesday took custody of &nbsp;gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari at Punjab's Rupnagar jail even as his wife Afshan Ansari approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to Uttar Pradesh Police to 'not kill' her husband in a fake encounter and allow him to face a 'free and fair trial.',Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/yogi-gets-his-ganster-up-police-gets-custody-of-wanted-politician-mukhtar-ansari">Yogi gets his gangster: UP police get custody of wanted politician Mukhtar Ansari</a>,Mukhtar Ansari's transfer follows the Supreme Court orders of March 26 that said he should be shifted to a jail in Uttar Pradesh, keeping in view the fact that he is allegedly involved in many criminal cases there.,Who is Mukhtar Ansari?,Ansari is a politician from Uttar Pradesh who has been elected as a member of the legislative Assembly from the Mau constituency a record five times on the Bahujan Samaj Party ticket. He had, earlier in 2010, been expelled from Mayawati's party and had floated his own outfit Quami Ekta Dal. But in 2017, he rejoined the BSP and merged his outfit with the party. In the subsequent assembly election, he once again won from Mau seat.,What are the cases against him?,Ansari has been in Punjab jail since January 2019 for an extortion case but faces 52 cases in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere, and 15 of them are in the trial stage. He is also accused in the murder of BJP MLA Krishna Nanda Rai, whose wife and BJP MLA Alka Rai had recently accused the Congress government in Punjab of helping Ansari evade court proceedings.,Crackdown on his gang,The UP government has initiated strong action against Mukhtar Ansari and his aides by dismantling their empire under the Gangster Act. They have arrested 96 criminals and so far seized, freed or demolished property worth Rs 192 crore linked to the MLA and his associates, reports PTI. Arms licences of 72 criminals of this gang have been cancelled or suspended. Action has also been initiated against seven contractors of this gang, a police statement said.,Where will he be lodged in UP?,Amid apprehensions expressed by Ansari's family over his security in a UP jail, acting Superintendent of the Banda District Jail Pramod Tiwari said all arrangements have been made in Barrack Number-15 for Ansari and no other prisoner can access the area. "Three prison guards will be deployed inside the barrack," he said.,Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjee-accuses-bjp-of-bringing-goons-from-up-bihar-to-attack-her">Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of bringing goons from UP, Bihar to attack her</a>,What is Ansari's worth?,"The estimated worth of properties of Mukhtar Ansari and his aides seized/demolished/freed stands at over Rs 192 crore," the statement said.

{\"time\":1617702555135,\"strCount\":2962,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\n\\nA team of Uttar Pradesh police, comprising 150-member Provincial Armed Constabulary team equipped with sophisticated weapons, on Tuesday took custody of &nbsp;gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari at Punjab's Rupnagar jail even as his wife Afshan Ansari approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to Uttar Pradesh Police to 'not kill' her husband in a fake encounter and allow him to face a 'free and fair trial.'\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/yogi-gets-his-ganster-up-police-gets-custody-of-wanted-politician-mukhtar-ansari\\\">Yogi gets his gangster: UP police get custody of wanted politician Mukhtar Ansari</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Mukhtar Ansari's transfer follows the Supreme Court orders of March 26 that said he should be shifted to a jail in Uttar Pradesh, keeping in view the fact that he is allegedly involved in many criminal cases there.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Who is Mukhtar Ansari?\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Ansari is a politician from Uttar Pradesh who has been elected as a member of the legislative Assembly from the Mau constituency a record five times on the Bahujan Samaj Party ticket. He had, earlier in 2010, been expelled from Mayawati's party and had floated his own outfit Quami Ekta Dal. But in 2017, he rejoined the BSP and merged his outfit with the party. In the subsequent assembly election, he once again won from Mau seat.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"What are the cases against him?\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Ansari has been in Punjab jail since January 2019 for an extortion case but faces 52 cases in Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere, and 15 of them are in the trial stage. He is also accused in the murder of BJP MLA Krishna Nanda Rai, whose wife and BJP MLA Alka Rai had recently accused the Congress government in Punjab of helping Ansari evade court proceedings.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Crackdown on his gang\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The UP government has initiated strong action against Mukhtar Ansari and his aides by dismantling their empire under the Gangster Act. They have arrested 96 criminals and so far seized, freed or demolished property worth Rs 192 crore linked to the MLA and his associates, reports PTI. Arms licences of 72 criminals of this gang have been cancelled or suspended. Action has also been initiated against seven contractors of this gang, a police statement said.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Where will he be lodged in UP?\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Amid apprehensions expressed by Ansari's family over his security in a UP jail, acting Superintendent of the Banda District Jail Pramod Tiwari said all arrangements have been made in Barrack Number-15 for Ansari and no other prisoner can access the area. \\\"Three prison guards will be deployed inside the barrack,\\\" he said.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjee-accuses-bjp-of-bringing-goons-from-up-bihar-to-attack-her\\\">Mamata Banerjee accuses BJP of bringing goons from UP, Bihar to attack her</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"What is Ansari's worth?\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\\"The estimated worth of properties of Mukhtar Ansari and his aides seized/demolished/freed stands at over Rs 192 crore,\\\" the statement said.\\n\\n\"}}]}

Shubhangi Shah

<ul>
 <li>UP police on Tuesday took the custody of &nbsp;gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari</li>
 <li>Ansari was elected to the UP Assembly a record five times on BSP's ticket</li>
 <li>He faces 52 cases in UP and elsewhere</li>
</ul>

All about Mukhtar Ansari, BSP legislator being shifted from Punjab to UP jail

MukhtarAnsari

Crime

Punjab

UttarPradesh

Nandigram, West Bengal, India

In 2007, Nandigram was the epicenter of farmers' agitation that propelled West Bengal Chief Minister <a href="https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjee-the-street-fighter-who-loves-a-good-contest">Mamata Banerjee to power</a>. Fourteen years later, the same Nandigram is the arena for the biggest fight of this Assembly election -- Banerjee is pitted against the force behind the agitation and one-time trusted-lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari, who is now with the BJP.,The Nandigram agitation changed the course of history in West Bengal, sowing the seeds of the end of Left rule in the state. The seemingly-invincible Left tripped on the land agitation that ended their 34-year rule in West Bengal. The constituency has since been a Trinamool stronghold. Adhikari, however, says it was his clout that kept Nandigram loyal to Trinamool.,This election will test whether the <a href="https://opoyi.com/why-nandigram-is-critical-for-mamata-banerjee-and-significant-for-bjp">voters of Nandigram are loyal</a> to the party or the Adhikari family that holds considerable political clout in the area. Most members of the Adhikari family, including Suvendu Adhikari's father, have joined the BJP now.,As curtains came down on campaigning, the <a href="https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjee-is-injured-but-undeterred">first woman chief minister of the state</a> signed off the campaign with elan, standing up on the dais despite her leg injury during the national anthem. This came soon after she had proclaimed that she belonged to the 'Shandilya gotra'. That <a href="https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjees-advice-for-bengal-women-hit-bjp-goons-with-ladle-spatula">Mamata chose to mention her temple trips</a> and her gotra is seen by many as a response to certain 'polarising' statements by Adhikari in the constituency that is estimated to have around 30% Muslim population.,Addressing a public meeting in Khejuri’s Henria on January 19 Adhikari said, “People have seen who attended Mamata Banerjee’s meeting in Nandigram. I consider that meeting as a party meeting by Hyderabad’s Asaduddin Owaisi…With whose support will you contest from Nandigram? Are you fighting with the hope of 62,000 votes? Know that the lotus will win because of 2.13 lakh votes. Who are the 2.13 lakh, those who chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’?”,This was not all, he made it a point to talk about so-called "Muslim support" for Mamata, calling her 'puhpu' and 'khala' (both terms used for aunts by Muslims). &nbsp;“Nowadays she has stopped saying ‘inshallah’ and ‘khuda haafiz’ [Urdu phrases commonly used by Muslims] as the elections are approaching," he said at one rally.,Banerjee, who spent the last few days of campaign doing roadshows -- from a wheelchair -- in the constituency, did not let go of a <a href="https://opoyi.com/in-mamata-banerjees-retort-to-amit-shah-a-question-on-hathras-rape-case">single opportunity to attack Adhikari</a>, calling him traitor, 'gaddar' and 'cheat'.,She also called herself a donkey for not 'recognising' Adhikari, &nbsp;"I say I am a 'big donkey' (Ami ekta boro gadha) for having failed to recognise them. I don't know (about it), but people say their 'empire' is worth Rs 5,000 crore and they will use money to buy votes. But don't vote for them.",Suvendu Adhikari, though prepared for a big fight after joining BJP, may not have expected didi to bring her battle to his bastion, giving up her 'safe' Bhabanipur seat.&nbsp; <a href="https://opoyi.com/is-mamata-banerjee-sensing-defeat-in-nandigram-bjp-says-so-amid-audio-row">Mamata's announcement</a> made sure that he was tied down to his constituency and could not campaign much outside of it. Many BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, held rallies and roadshows in Nandigram for the do-or-die battle.,<a href="https://opoyi.com/suvendu-adhikari-won-west-bengals-nandigram-constituency-in-2016">From 1967 to 2006, Nandigram</a> had more often than not elected a Communist candidate to represent the constituency with a couple of terms going to the Congress. But, since 2009 it has been Trinamool all the way -- first Firoja Bibi represented the seat for two terms and then Suvendu Adhikari in 2016,Phase 2 of the eight-phase polling in West Bengal will be held on April 1 in 30 constituencies, including Nandigram. In the first phase on March 27, West Bengal saw an 84.3% voter turnout. Polling for the rest of the seven phases will be held from April 6 to April 29. Votes will be counted on May 2.

{\"time\":1617188900447,\"strCount\":4448,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In 2007, Nandigram was the epicenter of farmers' agitation that propelled West Bengal Chief Minister <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjee-the-street-fighter-who-loves-a-good-contest\\\">Mamata Banerjee to power</a>. Fourteen years later, the same Nandigram is the arena for the biggest fight of this Assembly election -- Banerjee is pitted against the force behind the agitation and one-time trusted-lieutenant Suvendu Adhikari, who is now with the BJP.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The Nandigram agitation changed the course of history in West Bengal, sowing the seeds of the end of Left rule in the state. The seemingly-invincible Left tripped on the land agitation that ended their 34-year rule in West Bengal. The constituency has since been a Trinamool stronghold. Adhikari, however, says it was his clout that kept Nandigram loyal to Trinamool.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"This election will test whether the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/why-nandigram-is-critical-for-mamata-banerjee-and-significant-for-bjp\\\">voters of Nandigram are loyal</a> to the party or the Adhikari family that holds considerable political clout in the area. Most members of the Adhikari family, including Suvendu Adhikari's father, have joined the BJP now.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"As curtains came down on campaigning, the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjee-is-injured-but-undeterred\\\">first woman chief minister of the state</a> signed off the campaign with elan, standing up on the dais despite her leg injury during the national anthem. This came soon after she had proclaimed that she belonged to the 'Shandilya gotra'. That <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjees-advice-for-bengal-women-hit-bjp-goons-with-ladle-spatula\\\">Mamata chose to mention her temple trips</a> and her gotra is seen by many as a response to certain 'polarising' statements by Adhikari in the constituency that is estimated to have around 30% Muslim population.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Addressing a public meeting in Khejuri’s Henria on January 19 Adhikari said, “People have seen who attended Mamata Banerjee’s meeting in Nandigram. I consider that meeting as a party meeting by Hyderabad’s Asaduddin Owaisi…With whose support will you contest from Nandigram? Are you fighting with the hope of 62,000 votes? Know that the lotus will win because of 2.13 lakh votes. Who are the 2.13 lakh, those who chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’?”\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"This was not all, he made it a point to talk about so-called \\\"Muslim support\\\" for Mamata, calling her 'puhpu' and 'khala' (both terms used for aunts by Muslims). &nbsp;“Nowadays she has stopped saying ‘inshallah’ and ‘khuda haafiz’ [Urdu phrases commonly used by Muslims] as the elections are approaching,\\\" he said at one rally.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Banerjee, who spent the last few days of campaign doing roadshows -- from a wheelchair -- in the constituency, did not let go of a <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/in-mamata-banerjees-retort-to-amit-shah-a-question-on-hathras-rape-case\\\">single opportunity to attack Adhikari</a>, calling him traitor, 'gaddar' and 'cheat'.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"She also called herself a donkey for not 'recognising' Adhikari, &nbsp;\\\"I say I am a 'big donkey' (Ami ekta boro gadha) for having failed to recognise them. I don't know (about it), but people say their 'empire' is worth Rs 5,000 crore and they will use money to buy votes. But don't vote for them.\\\"\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Suvendu Adhikari, though prepared for a big fight after joining BJP, may not have expected didi to bring her battle to his bastion, giving up her 'safe' Bhabanipur seat.&nbsp; <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/is-mamata-banerjee-sensing-defeat-in-nandigram-bjp-says-so-amid-audio-row\\\">Mamata's announcement</a> made sure that he was tied down to his constituency and could not campaign much outside of it. Many BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, held rallies and roadshows in Nandigram for the do-or-die battle.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/suvendu-adhikari-won-west-bengals-nandigram-constituency-in-2016\\\">From 1967 to 2006, Nandigram</a> had more often than not elected a Communist candidate to represent the constituency with a couple of terms going to the Congress. But, since 2009 it has been Trinamool all the way -- first Firoja Bibi represented the seat for two terms and then Suvendu Adhikari in 2016\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Phase 2 of the eight-phase polling in West Bengal will be held on April 1 in 30 constituencies, including Nandigram. In the first phase on March 27, West Bengal saw an 84.3% voter turnout. Polling for the rest of the seven phases will be held from April 6 to April 29. Votes will be counted on May 2.\\n\\n\"}}]}

Joy Tirkey

<ul>
 <li>Nandigram was the epicenter of farmers' agitation that propelled Mamata Banerjee to power</li>
 <li>The Nandigram agitation changed the course of history in West Bengal</li>
 <li>This election will test whether the voters of Nandigram are loyal to the Trinamool Congress or the Adhikari family</li>
</ul>

Why all eyes are on Nandigram

Nandigram

WestBengalElection2021

MamataBanerjee

SuvenduAdhikari

AssemblyElections

India

Politics

IndiaNews

Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief, very appropriately described herself when she said, "I am a streetfighter". Clad in a cotton saree, sporting a jhola (bag) and a Hawaii chappal, the 66-year-old leader has often taken her fights to streets and roughed it out -- be it defeating CPI(M) veteran Somanth Chatterjee in 1984 Lok Sabha elections, breaking away from the Congress to float her own Trinamool Congress in 1998 or terminating the 34-year rule of the Left in 2011.,Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/is-mamata-banerjee-sensing-defeat-in-nandigram-bjp-says-so-amid-audio-row">Is Mamata Banerjee sensing defeat in Nandigram? BJP says so amid audio row</a>,In West Bengal Assembly election 2021 too, when everyone thought that the Chief Minister had been fenced in by massive exodus, including that of senior leaders and close aides, from the party to the BJP, the first woman chief minister of the state decided to take the battle to the enemy's den. She announced her candidature from Nandigram, renouncing Bhowanipore her 'safe' seat of 10 years, to contest from Nandigram against her one time close aide Suvendu Adhikari who is contesting on a BJP ticket.,That Nandigram is her new battlefied comes with its own significance, considering that Didi, as Mamata is called in West Bengal, took on the might of the Left in 2005 by opposing the land acquisition policy in 2005 and Nandigram was the epicentre of the protest. Providing the support system for the agitation that propelled Mamata to power was the Adhikari family.,Mamata Banerjee, known to lead a spartan life, &nbsp;is not the one to shy away from a good political fight. As a student leader in 1975, she made headlines when she danced on the car of socialist activist and politician Jayaprakash Narayan. The same Jayaprakash Narayan who had shaken the Delhi throne of then prime minister Indira Gandhi with his call for mass 'revolution' against her.,In her 30s, Mamata made headlines again when she was hit on the head by DYFI leader Lalu Alam on August 16, 1990.&nbsp; Her skull was fractured in the attack and she spent many days in a hospital. This incident made her a household name and a hero of sorts.,In 1993, in another protest that caught the attention of the country, Mamata laid seige to then Chief Minister Jyoti Basu's office demanding justice for a rape survivor. After failing to evict her, police dragged her by the hair and drove off with her to a police station.,Such was her clout that when Mamata parted ways with the Congress in 1998, she almost walked away with the entire Congress unit, reducing the party to a fringe player in the state. From then on it became a Mamata versus the Left war in the state till she trounced them in 2011. Before taking over as the chief minister, Mamata -- daughter of &nbsp;Promileswar Banerjee and Gayetri Devi -- served twice as minister of railways, minister of coal, and HRD, youth affairs and sports, women and child development in the union cabinet.,Once again, the 'street figher' chief minister is in the middle of an intense battle. Fighting one of the the toughest political wars of her life -- with an aggressive BJP putting up a tough fight for Assembly elections -- Mamata is holding rallies, doing roadshows and matching the BJP <a href="https://opoyi.com/amit-shah-says-bjp-will-win-26-of-30-seats-in-west-bengal-phase-1-polls-mamata-banerjee-replies">word-for-word</a>. All from a <a href="https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjee-leads-a-massive-roadshow-on-wheelchair-in-nandigram">wheelchair</a>, after she was injured in an alleged attack in Nandigram, and minus many party stalwarts who have jumped the ship to join the BJP.,Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/watch-west-bengal-cm-mamata-banerjee-gets-up-on-her-feet-for-national-anthem">Watch| Mamata Banerjee gets up on her feet for national anthem</a>,But as they say, 'when the going goes tough, didi goes street-fighting'. We will know the outcome of this fight on May 2, when votes will be counted after an eight-phase election in the state.

{\"time\":1617170175083,\"strCount\":4119,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief, very appropriately described herself when she said, \\\"I am a streetfighter\\\". Clad in a cotton saree, sporting a jhola (bag) and a Hawaii chappal, the 66-year-old leader has often taken her fights to streets and roughed it out -- be it defeating CPI(M) veteran Somanth Chatterjee in 1984 Lok Sabha elections, breaking away from the Congress to float her own Trinamool Congress in 1998 or terminating the 34-year rule of the Left in 2011.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/is-mamata-banerjee-sensing-defeat-in-nandigram-bjp-says-so-amid-audio-row\\\">Is Mamata Banerjee sensing defeat in Nandigram? BJP says so amid audio row</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In West Bengal Assembly election 2021 too, when everyone thought that the Chief Minister had been fenced in by massive exodus, including that of senior leaders and close aides, from the party to the BJP, the first woman chief minister of the state decided to take the battle to the enemy's den. She announced her candidature from Nandigram, renouncing Bhowanipore her 'safe' seat of 10 years, to contest from Nandigram against her one time close aide Suvendu Adhikari who is contesting on a BJP ticket.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"That Nandigram is her new battlefied comes with its own significance, considering that Didi, as Mamata is called in West Bengal, took on the might of the Left in 2005 by opposing the land acquisition policy in 2005 and Nandigram was the epicentre of the protest. Providing the support system for the agitation that propelled Mamata to power was the Adhikari family.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Mamata Banerjee, known to lead a spartan life, &nbsp;is not the one to shy away from a good political fight. As a student leader in 1975, she made headlines when she danced on the car of socialist activist and politician Jayaprakash Narayan. The same Jayaprakash Narayan who had shaken the Delhi throne of then prime minister Indira Gandhi with his call for mass 'revolution' against her.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In her 30s, Mamata made headlines again when she was hit on the head by DYFI leader Lalu Alam on August 16, 1990.&nbsp; Her skull was fractured in the attack and she spent many days in a hospital. This incident made her a household name and a hero of sorts.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In 1993, in another protest that caught the attention of the country, Mamata laid seige to then Chief Minister Jyoti Basu's office demanding justice for a rape survivor. After failing to evict her, police dragged her by the hair and drove off with her to a police station.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Such was her clout that when Mamata parted ways with the Congress in 1998, she almost walked away with the entire Congress unit, reducing the party to a fringe player in the state. From then on it became a Mamata versus the Left war in the state till she trounced them in 2011. Before taking over as the chief minister, Mamata -- daughter of &nbsp;Promileswar Banerjee and Gayetri Devi -- served twice as minister of railways, minister of coal, and HRD, youth affairs and sports, women and child development in the union cabinet.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Once again, the 'street figher' chief minister is in the middle of an intense battle. Fighting one of the the toughest political wars of her life -- with an aggressive BJP putting up a tough fight for Assembly elections -- Mamata is holding rallies, doing roadshows and matching the BJP <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/amit-shah-says-bjp-will-win-26-of-30-seats-in-west-bengal-phase-1-polls-mamata-banerjee-replies\\\">word-for-word</a>. All from a <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/mamata-banerjee-leads-a-massive-roadshow-on-wheelchair-in-nandigram\\\">wheelchair</a>, after she was injured in an alleged attack in Nandigram, and minus many party stalwarts who have jumped the ship to join the BJP.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/watch-west-bengal-cm-mamata-banerjee-gets-up-on-her-feet-for-national-anthem\\\">Watch| Mamata Banerjee gets up on her feet for national anthem</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"But as they say, 'when the going goes tough, didi goes street-fighting'. We will know the outcome of this fight on May 2, when votes will be counted after an eight-phase election in the state.\\n\\n\"}}]}

Chandandeep Kour

<ul>
 <li>In the run-up to the Assembly polls, Mamata Banerjee was fenced in by a massive exodus from her party</li>
 <li>However, she took the battle to the enemy's den by announcing her candidature from Nandigram</li>
 <li>She is contesting against her former aide Suvendu Adhikari, who has joined the BJP</li>
</ul>

Mamata Banerjee, the street-fighter who loves a good contest

TrinamoolCongress

Kolkata, West Bengal, India

The voting started at 7 am in 77 constituencies of <a href="https://opoyi.com/phase-1-o-f-west-bengal-elections-30-constituencies-to-go-to-poll-today">West Bengal</a> and <a href="https://opoyi.com/assam-assembly-elections-2021-267-candidates-on-47-seats-in-the-fray">Assam</a> for the first round of eight-phase elections in five states. Voters were seen trooping to polling booths at various centres to decide the fate of 455 candidates in the fray. While Bengal will vote in eight phases, Assam will do so in three rounds. Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will vote in a single phase on April 6. The votes will be counted on May 2.,Here's all you need to know about the two states going to polls today:,WEST BENGAL,Polling dates: March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26, April 29,Assembly strength: 294,Ruling party: Trinamool Congress,Sitting party position: Trinamool Congress (211), BJP (3), CPM (26), Congress (44), Others (10),ASSAM,Polling dates: March 27, April 1, April 6,Assembly strength: 126,Ruling party: BJP-AGP,Sitting party position: BJP (60), AGP (14), Congress (26), AIUDF (13), Others (13),West Bengal is perhaps the most keenly-watched of all the states with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee facing and aggressive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and an anti-incumbency of 10 years. Marked by defections, high-decibel campaign and allegations of attacks, the campaign in the state was highly vitriolic, to say the least.,In the 2016 assembly elections, the ruling Trinamool had won 27 of the 30 seats going to polls in phase 1. The Congress had won two seats and RSP, a constituent of the Left Front, one seat. However, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had swept this region.,Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/as-assam-bengal-ready-for-the-first-phase-of-voting-why-everyones-eyes-are-on-2024">As Assam, Bengal prep for phase 1 poll, why everyone's eyes are on 2024</a>,In 2011, Mamata Banerjee had surprised poll analysts by trouncing Left Front, the ruling party of 34 years. Her winning streak continued in the 2016 Assembly elections too. Going by the 2019 Lok Sabha elections voting pattern, Trinamool may have a tough time defending this bastion.,Keen contests are likely to be witnessed in <a href="https://opoyi.com/why-purulia-a-maoist-hit-seat-in-bengal-has-become-a-flashpoint-for-bjp-and-trinamool">Purulia</a>, where sitting Congress MLA Sudip Mukherjee recently joined the BJP and is contesting on the saffron party's ticket. Another key contest is likely in the <a href="https://opoyi.com/for-the-bjp-kharagpur-is-a-battle-of-prestige">Kharagpur</a> assembly seat, which falls under the Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency represented by Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh. The BJP has fielded Tapan Bhuya for this prestige battle while the Trinamool has relied on sitting MLA Dinen Roy again.,ASSAM,In Assam, the ruling BJP is looking to retain power in the three-phase assembly elections. While analysts feel that the BJP-AGP combine is comfortably placed in the elections, the Congress's alliance with Badruddin Ajmal's AIDUF may upset calculations in some seats.,In phase 1 elections, 47 of the 126 will vote on March 27. Of these, 37 MLAs are re-contesting, including 24 of the BJP, 6 each from the Congress and AGP, and one from AIUDF. Forty-two of these seats fall in 11 districts of Upper Assam and North Assam, and five from Central Assam’s Nagaon district. In 2016, the BJP had bagged 27 seats and its ally AGP 8 seats. The Congress had won just 9 seats.,This time, the AIUDF is contesting 19 seats as a part of the alliance with Congress. In the 2016 assembly election, the division of voters between Congress and Ajmal's party had led to the BJP winning over 20 seats.,In the BJP, murmurs have already started over who will the chief minister if the party comes to power on May 2. Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had joined the BJP from the Congress before the 2016 Assembly election and was widely credited with the party's win in the state, is seen as a strong contender. Both Sarma and current CM Sarbanda Sonowal are in the fray this time too.,The party has, however, kept the issue open with Assam BJP in-charge and the party's vice president Baijayant Jay Panda telling ANI, "Our top leaders will contest the polls. Both Sonowal and Sarma are very popular and have a good image among the public. They will definitely contest the polls. There is no problem in the state under the leadership of CM Sonowal and Minister Sarma.",Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/activists-akhil-gogoi-pranab-doley-to-contest-assam-polls-with-few-thousand-rupees-in-pockets-1">Activists Akhil Gogoi, Pranab Doley to contest Assam polls with few thousand rupees in pockets</a>,Among the key seats in Phase 1 are Majuli from where chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal is contesting; Gohpur from where Assam Congress president Ripun Bora is contesting; and Sibsagar from where jailed peasants’ rights activist and president of newly formed Raijor Dal Akhil Gogoi is contesting.

{\"time\":1616809192897,\"strCount\":5083,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The voting started at 7 am in 77 constituencies of <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/phase-1-o-f-west-bengal-elections-30-constituencies-to-go-to-poll-today\\\">West Bengal</a> and <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/assam-assembly-elections-2021-267-candidates-on-47-seats-in-the-fray\\\">Assam</a> for the first round of eight-phase elections in five states. Voters were seen trooping to polling booths at various centres to decide the fate of 455 candidates in the fray. While Bengal will vote in eight phases, Assam will do so in three rounds. Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will vote in a single phase on April 6. The votes will be counted on May 2.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Here's all you need to know about the two states going to polls today:\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"WEST BENGAL\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Polling dates: March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26, April 29\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Assembly strength: 294\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Ruling party: Trinamool Congress\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Sitting party position: Trinamool Congress (211), BJP (3), CPM (26), Congress (44), Others (10)\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"ASSAM\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Polling dates: March 27, April 1, April 6\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Assembly strength: 126\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Ruling party: BJP-AGP\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Sitting party position: BJP (60), AGP (14), Congress (26), AIUDF (13), Others (13)\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"West Bengal is perhaps the most keenly-watched of all the states with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee facing and aggressive Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and an anti-incumbency of 10 years. Marked by defections, high-decibel campaign and allegations of attacks, the campaign in the state was highly vitriolic, to say the least.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In the 2016 assembly elections, the ruling Trinamool had won 27 of the 30 seats going to polls in phase 1. The Congress had won two seats and RSP, a constituent of the Left Front, one seat. However, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had swept this region.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/as-assam-bengal-ready-for-the-first-phase-of-voting-why-everyones-eyes-are-on-2024\\\">As Assam, Bengal prep for phase 1 poll, why everyone's eyes are on 2024</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In 2011, Mamata Banerjee had surprised poll analysts by trouncing Left Front, the ruling party of 34 years. Her winning streak continued in the 2016 Assembly elections too. Going by the 2019 Lok Sabha elections voting pattern, Trinamool may have a tough time defending this bastion.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Keen contests are likely to be witnessed in <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/why-purulia-a-maoist-hit-seat-in-bengal-has-become-a-flashpoint-for-bjp-and-trinamool\\\">Purulia</a>, where sitting Congress MLA Sudip Mukherjee recently joined the BJP and is contesting on the saffron party's ticket. Another key contest is likely in the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/for-the-bjp-kharagpur-is-a-battle-of-prestige\\\">Kharagpur</a> assembly seat, which falls under the Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency represented by Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh. The BJP has fielded Tapan Bhuya for this prestige battle while the Trinamool has relied on sitting MLA Dinen Roy again.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"ASSAM\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In Assam, the ruling BJP is looking to retain power in the three-phase assembly elections. While analysts feel that the BJP-AGP combine is comfortably placed in the elections, the Congress's alliance with Badruddin Ajmal's AIDUF may upset calculations in some seats.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In phase 1 elections, 47 of the 126 will vote on March 27. Of these, 37 MLAs are re-contesting, including 24 of the BJP, 6 each from the Congress and AGP, and one from AIUDF. Forty-two of these seats fall in 11 districts of Upper Assam and North Assam, and five from Central Assam’s Nagaon district. In 2016, the BJP had bagged 27 seats and its ally AGP 8 seats. The Congress had won just 9 seats.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"This time, the AIUDF is contesting 19 seats as a part of the alliance with Congress. In the 2016 assembly election, the division of voters between Congress and Ajmal's party had led to the BJP winning over 20 seats.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In the BJP, murmurs have already started over who will the chief minister if the party comes to power on May 2. Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had joined the BJP from the Congress before the 2016 Assembly election and was widely credited with the party's win in the state, is seen as a strong contender. Both Sarma and current CM Sarbanda Sonowal are in the fray this time too.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The party has, however, kept the issue open with Assam BJP in-charge and the party's vice president Baijayant Jay Panda telling ANI, \\\"Our top leaders will contest the polls. Both Sonowal and Sarma are very popular and have a good image among the public. They will definitely contest the polls. There is no problem in the state under the leadership of CM Sonowal and Minister Sarma.\\\"\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/activists-akhil-gogoi-pranab-doley-to-contest-assam-polls-with-few-thousand-rupees-in-pockets-1\\\">Activists Akhil Gogoi, Pranab Doley to contest Assam polls with few thousand rupees in pockets</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Among the key seats in Phase 1 are Majuli from where chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal is contesting; Gohpur from where Assam Congress president Ripun Bora is contesting; and Sibsagar from where jailed peasants’ rights activist and president of newly formed Raijor Dal Akhil Gogoi is contesting.\"}}]}

Abhimanyu Kulkarni

<ul>
 <li>A total of 455 candidates in the fray in the first round of eight-phase elections in 5 states</li>
 <li>In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is facing and aggressive BJP</li>
 <li>In Assam, the ruling BJP is looking to retain power</li>
</ul>

Voting begins in West Bengal and Assam for phase 1 of 8-phase elections in 5 states

AssamAssemblyElections2021

Purulia

SarbanandaSonowal

Assam

WestBengal

At 8 am on March 27, the first phase of the eight-phase mega election exercise will kick off in two of the five states going to polls over the coming month. For the taking in this phase are 77 assembly seats for which 455 candidates are in the fray. Which way the seats will swing will be known on May 2 when votes will be counted in all five states.,Of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, 77 constituencies in the first two states will vote in the first phase. In West Bengal, elections for the 294-member Assembly will be held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29 and 30 seats will vote in the first phase. The voting for the 126-member Assam assembly will be held on March 27, April 1, and April 6 and 47 seats will poll in phase one.,West Bengal,West Bengal is perhaps the most keenly-watched of all the states with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) putting up a spirited opposition to the ruling Trinamool Congress led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Marked by defections, high-decibel campaign and allegations of attacks, the campaign in the state was highly vitriolic, to say the least.,Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/west-bengal-elections-2021-and-the-controversies-around-it">West Bengal elections 2021 and the controversies around it</a>,In the 2016 assembly elections, the ruling Trinamool had won 27 of the 30 seats going to polls in phase 1. The Congress had won two seats and RSP, a constituent of the Left Front, one seat. However, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had swept this region.,In 2011, when Mamata Banerjee trounced the then ruling Left Front in the state, people in the tribal-dominated districts going to polls on March 27 -- Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, West Medinipur, and East Medinipur -- voted overwhelmingly for her Trinamool Congress. This trend continued in the 2016 Assembly elections too. Going by the 2019 Lok Sabha elections voting pattern, Trinamool may have a tough time defending this bastion.,Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/khela-hobe-jai-shri-ram-slogans-central-to-political-battle-in-west-bengal/">'Khela Hobe, Jai Shri Ram': Slogans central to political battle in West Bengal</a>,Key contests,Keen contests are likely to be witnessed in these districts this time. In Purulia, sitting Congress MLA Sudip Mukherjee recently joined the BJP and is contesting on the saffron party's ticket. This time, the Congress has fielded Partha Pratim Banerjee and the Trinamool has given ticket to Sujoy Banerjee.,Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/pan-masala-chewing-tilak-sporting-mamata-banerjee-defines-who-an-outsider-is">'Pan masala-chewing, tilak-sporting': Mamata Banerjee defines who an 'outsider' is</a>,Any key contest is likely in the Kharagpur assembly seat, which falls under the Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency represented by Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh. The BJP has fielded Tapan Bhuya for this prestige battle while the Trinamool has relied on sitting MLA Dinen Roy again.,Medinipur is another keenly-watched contest where the Trinamool has replaced sitting MLA Mrigendra Nath Maiti with actor June Maliah against the BJP’s Samit Kumar Das.,(<a href="https://opoyi.com/west-bengal-polls-key-battles-from-the-first-phase">Click here</a> for more on key contests in phase 1 of West Bengal elections),Assam,In Assam, the ruling BJP is looking to retain power in the three-phase assembly elections. While analysts feel that the BJP-AGP combine is comfortably placed in the elections, the Congress's alliance with Badruddin Ajmal's AIDUF may upset calculations in some seats.,Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/election-fever-how-bjp-and-congress-are-wooing-the-voters-in-assam">Election fever: How BJP and Congress are wooing the voters in Assam</a>,In phase 1 elections, 47 of the 126 will vote on March 27. Of these, 37 MLAs are re-contesting, including 24 of the BJP, 6 each from the Congress and AGP, and one from AIUDF. Forty-two of these seats fall in 11 districts of Upper Assam and North Assam, and five from Central Assam’s Nagaon district. In 2016, the BJP had bagged 27 seats and its ally AGP 8 seats. The Congress had won just 9 seats.,This time, the AIUDF is contesting 19 seats as a part of the alliance with Congress. In the 2016 assembly election, the division of voters between Congress and Ajmal's party had led to the BJP winning over 20 seats.,In the BJP, murmurs have already started over who will the chief minister if the party comes to power on May 2. Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had joined the BJP before the 2016 Assembly election and was widely credited with the party's win in the state, is seen as a strong contender. Both Sarma and current CM Sarbanda Sonowal are in the fray this time too.,The party has, however, kept the issue open with Assam BJP in-charge and the party's vice president Baijayant Jay Panda telling ANI, "Our top leaders will contest the polls. Both Sonowal and Sarma are very popular and have a good image among the public. They will definitely contest the polls. There is no problem in the state under the leadership of CM Sonowal and Minister Sarma.",Key contests,Among the key seats in Phase 1 are Majuli from where chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal is contesting; Gohpur from where Assam Congress president Ripun Bora is contesting; and Sibsagar from where jailed peasants’ rights activist and president of newly formed Raijor Dal Akhil Gogoi is contesting.,(<a href="https://opoyi.com/assam-assembly-polls-phase-1-key-constituencies-candidates-to-watch-out-for">Click here</a> for more on key contests in phase 1 of Assam elections)

{\"time\":1616758068709,\"strCount\":5717,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"At 8 am on March 27, the first phase of the eight-phase mega election exercise will kick off in two of the five states going to polls over the coming month. For the taking in this phase are 77 assembly seats for which 455 candidates are in the fray. Which way the seats will swing will be known on May 2 when votes will be counted in all five states.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, 77 constituencies in the first two states will vote in the first phase. In West Bengal, elections for the 294-member Assembly will be held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29 and 30 seats will vote in the first phase. The voting for the 126-member Assam assembly will be held on March 27, April 1, and April 6 and 47 seats will poll in phase one.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"West Bengal\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"West Bengal is perhaps the most keenly-watched of all the states with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) putting up a spirited opposition to the ruling Trinamool Congress led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Marked by defections, high-decibel campaign and allegations of attacks, the campaign in the state was highly vitriolic, to say the least.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/west-bengal-elections-2021-and-the-controversies-around-it\\\">West Bengal elections 2021 and the controversies around it</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In the 2016 assembly elections, the ruling Trinamool had won 27 of the 30 seats going to polls in phase 1. The Congress had won two seats and RSP, a constituent of the Left Front, one seat. However, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had swept this region.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In 2011, when Mamata Banerjee trounced the then ruling Left Front in the state, people in the tribal-dominated districts going to polls on March 27 -- Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, West Medinipur, and East Medinipur -- voted overwhelmingly for her Trinamool Congress. This trend continued in the 2016 Assembly elections too. Going by the 2019 Lok Sabha elections voting pattern, Trinamool may have a tough time defending this bastion.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/khela-hobe-jai-shri-ram-slogans-central-to-political-battle-in-west-bengal/\\\">'Khela Hobe, Jai Shri Ram': Slogans central to political battle in West Bengal</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Key contests\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Keen contests are likely to be witnessed in these districts this time. In Purulia, sitting Congress MLA Sudip Mukherjee recently joined the BJP and is contesting on the saffron party's ticket. This time, the Congress has fielded Partha Pratim Banerjee and the Trinamool has given ticket to Sujoy Banerjee.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/pan-masala-chewing-tilak-sporting-mamata-banerjee-defines-who-an-outsider-is\\\">'Pan masala-chewing, tilak-sporting': Mamata Banerjee defines who an 'outsider' is</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Any key contest is likely in the Kharagpur assembly seat, which falls under the Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency represented by Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh. The BJP has fielded Tapan Bhuya for this prestige battle while the Trinamool has relied on sitting MLA Dinen Roy again.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Medinipur is another keenly-watched contest where the Trinamool has replaced sitting MLA Mrigendra Nath Maiti with actor June Maliah against the BJP’s Samit Kumar Das.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"(<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/west-bengal-polls-key-battles-from-the-first-phase\\\">Click here</a> for more on key contests in phase 1 of West Bengal elections)\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Assam\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In Assam, the ruling BJP is looking to retain power in the three-phase assembly elections. While analysts feel that the BJP-AGP combine is comfortably placed in the elections, the Congress's alliance with Badruddin Ajmal's AIDUF may upset calculations in some seats.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/election-fever-how-bjp-and-congress-are-wooing-the-voters-in-assam\\\">Election fever: How BJP and Congress are wooing the voters in Assam</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In phase 1 elections, 47 of the 126 will vote on March 27. Of these, 37 MLAs are re-contesting, including 24 of the BJP, 6 each from the Congress and AGP, and one from AIUDF. Forty-two of these seats fall in 11 districts of Upper Assam and North Assam, and five from Central Assam’s Nagaon district. In 2016, the BJP had bagged 27 seats and its ally AGP 8 seats. The Congress had won just 9 seats.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"This time, the AIUDF is contesting 19 seats as a part of the alliance with Congress. In the 2016 assembly election, the division of voters between Congress and Ajmal's party had led to the BJP winning over 20 seats.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In the BJP, murmurs have already started over who will the chief minister if the party comes to power on May 2. Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had joined the BJP before the 2016 Assembly election and was widely credited with the party's win in the state, is seen as a strong contender. Both Sarma and current CM Sarbanda Sonowal are in the fray this time too.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The party has, however, kept the issue open with Assam BJP in-charge and the party's vice president Baijayant Jay Panda telling ANI, \\\"Our top leaders will contest the polls. Both Sonowal and Sarma are very popular and have a good image among the public. They will definitely contest the polls. There is no problem in the state under the leadership of CM Sonowal and Minister Sarma.\\\"\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Key contests\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Among the key seats in Phase 1 are Majuli from where chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal is contesting; Gohpur from where Assam Congress president Ripun Bora is contesting; and Sibsagar from where jailed peasants’ rights activist and president of newly formed Raijor Dal Akhil Gogoi is contesting.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"(<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/assam-assembly-polls-phase-1-key-constituencies-candidates-to-watch-out-for\\\">Click here</a> for more on key contests in phase 1 of Assam elections)\"}}]}

<ul>
 <li>At 8 am on March 27, the first phase of the eight-phase mega election exercise will kick off in 2 of the 5 states</li>
 <li>In West Bengal, elections for the 294-member Assembly will be held in 8 phases and 30 seats will vote in the first phase</li>
 <li>In Assam phase 1 elections, 47 of the 126 seats will vote on March 27</li>
</ul>

Phase 1 of 8-part mega Assembly elections in 5 states all set for take off

Elections

Congress

CPIM

“Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.” wrote English author Neil Gaiman. How perfectly that describes the tech giant's translation fiasco that interpreted <a href="https://opoyi.com/what-does-unworried-mean-and-why-is-it-trending">'unworried'</a> as 'avivahit' in Hindi and 'gair shadishuda' in Urdu. Both actually mean 'unmarried'. They got the meaning wrong in Malayalam, Bangla, Marathi, Gujarati and most other Indian languages.,Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://opoyi.com/what-does-unworried-in-hindi-mean-googles-answer-has-twitter-in-splits">What does 'unworried' mean in Hindi? Google's answer has Twitter in splits</a>,A simple dictionary would have got us the perfect meaning in seconds. But then we would have missed out on all the fun it unleashed on social media. Twitter had a hearty laugh over it. "Google understood that <a href="https://opoyi.com/what-does-unworried-mean-and-why-is-it-trending">unworried</a> are those who are unmarried," wrote a user. "I am worried in Hindi and Urdu", wrote another. "Google probably needs Hindi-speaking linguists and AI/ML engineers," advised a user.,Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://opoyi.com/google-rushes-to-correct-hindi-meaning-of-unworried-after-twitter-storm">Google rushes to correct Hindi meaning of 'unworried', after Twitter storm</a>,Though the Hindi translation was <a href="https://opoyi.com/google-rushes-to-correct-hindi-meaning-of-unworried-after-twitter-storm">quickly rectified</a> after the Twitter storm, the error is still seen in other Indian languages. The error was first noticed by a marketer Mahesh Murthy, who posted it on the social media platform and unleashed a barrage of reactions.,This is not the first time the web search engine has got a translation wrong. It has happened with several other languages including German, French and Italian.

{\"time\":1616678933475,\"strCount\":1936,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"“Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.” wrote English author Neil Gaiman. How perfectly that describes the tech giant's translation fiasco that interpreted <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/what-does-unworried-mean-and-why-is-it-trending\\\">'unworried'</a> as 'avivahit' in Hindi and 'gair shadishuda' in Urdu. Both actually mean 'unmarried'. They got the meaning wrong in Malayalam, Bangla, Marathi, Gujarati and most other Indian languages.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read:&nbsp;<a target=\\\"_blank\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/what-does-unworried-in-hindi-mean-googles-answer-has-twitter-in-splits\\\">What does 'unworried' mean in Hindi? Google's answer has Twitter in splits</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"A simple dictionary would have got us the perfect meaning in seconds. But then we would have missed out on all the fun it unleashed on social media. Twitter had a hearty laugh over it. \\\"Google understood that <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/what-does-unworried-mean-and-why-is-it-trending\\\">unworried</a> are those who are unmarried,\\\" wrote a user. \\\"I am worried in Hindi and Urdu\\\", wrote another. \\\"Google probably needs Hindi-speaking linguists and AI/ML engineers,\\\" advised a user.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read:&nbsp;<a target=\\\"_blank\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/google-rushes-to-correct-hindi-meaning-of-unworried-after-twitter-storm\\\">Google rushes to correct Hindi meaning of 'unworried', after Twitter storm</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Though the Hindi translation was <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/google-rushes-to-correct-hindi-meaning-of-unworried-after-twitter-storm\\\">quickly rectified</a> after the Twitter storm, the error is still seen in other Indian languages. The error was first noticed by a marketer Mahesh Murthy, who posted it on the social media platform and unleashed a barrage of reactions.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"This is not the first time the web search engine has got a translation wrong. It has happened with several other languages including German, French and Italian.\"}}]}

Kavya Mishra

<ul>
 <li>Google got the meaning wrong in Malayalam, Bangla, Marathi, Gujarati and most other Indian languages</li>
 <li>Unworried means 'Nichchint' or free of worries</li>
 <li>The Hindi translation has been &nbsp;rectified by Google</li>
</ul>

'Unworried' is 'unmarried' in Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam...thanks to Google

Google

SocialMedia

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Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief, has done it all and proved that she is not the one to shy away from a good political fight. As a student leader in the 70s, she danced on the car of a political leader during a protest, in 1990 her skull was fractured in an attack at a political rally, in 1993 she was dragged by her hair, down the steps of the Writers' Building and pushed out. And in 2021, the 66-year-old led a Trinamool Congress march in Kolkata on a wheelchair and sent out a warning: "A wounded tiger is very dangerous.",Back in action two days after being wounded in an alleged attack in Nandigram, <a href="https://opoyi.com/topic/mamatabanerjee">Mamata Banerjee</a> --seated in the wheelchair with her leg in a cast and her trademark Hawaii chappal missing since the doctor has advised her to wear an orthopaedic sandal -- started from her Kalighat home and reached the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Mayo Road crossing on Sunday.,<a href="https://opoyi.com/watch-chai-na-bjp-na-congress-mamata-banerjee-calls-to-reject-bjp-congress-cpm">The wheelchair-bound chief minister led the procession</a> along a five-kilometre route from Gandhi’s statue in the Maidans to Hazra Road intersection, located close to her home at Kalighat in south Kolkata. Though looking a little drawn, the Trinamool leader did not let go of the opportunity to attack the BJP in the run-up to the eight-phase assembly elections in the state scheduled between March 27 and April 29.,After the march, she said, “I am injured and unwell but my goal remains the same. My body is bruised. Doctors have suggested that I rest for 15 days but I will continue to travel across Bengal on a wheelchair. If I rest, who will reach out to the people?”,"I will never bow down. Remember, a wounded tiger is more dangerous than a dead one,” she said, adding, “Bhanga payei khela hobe (The game is on, even with a broken leg). The conspiracy in Bengal has to be defeated.”,Also read: <a href="https://opoyi.com/how-khela-hobe-became-central-to-trinamool-congress-game-in-west-bengal-polls">How 'Khela Hobe' became central to Trinamool Congress' game in West Bengal polls</a>,The Chief Minister, who was in Bankura on Tuesday, again on a wheelchair, targeted Home Minister Amit Shah saying, "Will HM run the country or decide who will get arrested or beaten up, or will he decide which agency will chase whom? Who is running Election Commission? I hope it's not you, Amit Shah. We want free and fair election. He's intervening in day to day working of EC.",<a href="https://opoyi.com/nandigram-incident-ec-suspends-purba-medinipur-sp-pravin-prakash">Banerjee was injured in Nandigram</a> on Wednesday evening when the door of her SUV slammed against her left foot. She alleged that four or five people deliberately pushed the door resulting in her injury.,Banerjee is contesting from <a href="https://opoyi.com/topic/nandigram">Nandigram</a> against her former aide and ex-minister Suvendu Adhikari, in what promises to be an edge-of-the-seat contest. With MLAs and party leaders abandoning her by dozens, Mamata Banerjee decided to take the fight to the enemy's den and announced her candidature from Nandigram, the seat Adhikari claims is his fiefdom.,<a href="https://opoyi.com/14-yrs-on-nandigram-cradle-of-bengals-anti-land-acquisition">Trinamool's sweep in Nandigram in 2007</a> is widely seen as one of the key factors that catapulted Mamata Banerjee to power in 2011 and Adhikari is seen as was the architect of the movement that ousted the Left from Nandigram in 2007 after a bloody battle over land rights of farmers.,What result this political fight yields remains to be seen, but one thing is sure when it comes to Mamata Banerjee not a single moment is dull. Whether on a car bonnet or in a wheelchair, didi knows how to put up a good political fight.

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<ul>
 <li>Mamata Banerjee has done it all and proved that she not the one to shy away from a good political fight</li>
 <li>The 66-year-old led a Trinamool Congress march in Kolkata on a wheelchair</li>
 <li>The TMC chief sent out a warning: "A wounded tiger is very dangerous"</li>
</ul>

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