Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is determined to foil the bandh on February 28 and she is adopting a two-pronged strategy for this purpose. On the one hand, her government has on Tuesday issued a circular cancelling leaves of all government employees on that day and on the other, her party Trinamul Congress has decided to take to the streets to actively oppose the bandh. The Trinamul Congress apprehends that a successful bandh will further consolidate the CPI(M)’s position which has already got a shot in the arm by the huge success of its Brigade Parade Ground rally on Sunday.

Deeply disturbed by the Congress’ tirade against her government over the Park Street rape case, chief minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to draw Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s attention to what a state minister described as an act of betrayal by an ally.

Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Surjya Kanta Mishra on Monday said that no self-respecting IAS or IPS officers would like to stay in the state because of the prevailing atmosphere. “The chief minister often laments that she does not have adequate number of IAS and IPS officers. I have told her that all self-respecting IAS and IPS officers will leave because it is not possible for them to toe the government line all the time,” he added. Dr Mishra was speaking on the sidelines of a programme at the Mahajati Sadan.

Rattled by severe public and media criticism over her hasty comments on Park Street rape case while the investigation was still on, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday embarked on a damage control exercise.

The state government on Monday made it clear that it would not forward Infosys’ application to the Centre on granting IT SEZ (special economic zone) status to the company’s proposed facility at New Town-Rajarhat. Instead, the state government is working on alternative facilities for the IT major.

Hundreds of passengers of a Metro train had to be evacuated on Tuesday as a precautionary measure after smoke billowed out from the bottom of a coach, officials said.

As the train arrived at Maidan s

Bill Gates, Co-chairperson of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Tuesday praised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her government's efforts to eradicate polio.

"It is with utmost

Amidst strains between the two, Congress ally Trinamul Congress has said there was no question of compromise on the Lokayukta provision, pension bill and FDI in retail if there was a move to pass them

Mamata Banerjee is in the centre of fresh controversy following the case of an Anglo-Indian woman's gangrape in Kolkata's famous Park Street early this month.

Taking on the Chief Minister for describ

Launching a sharp attack on the UPA government at the Centre, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat on Sunday said that the UPA government is enveloped in corruption and under its rule, prices of ess