Kolkata April 19 PTI Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday and discussed issues of common interest in the area of trade and investment and stressed the need for improving infrastructure at the border for trade facilitation a statement said The meeting took place on the eve of the Bengal Global Business Summit the two-day business event that will start on Wednesday During the bilateral meeting issues of common interest in the area of trade and investment were discussed in detail Issues like the need to improve infrastructure at the border for trade facilitation working together for investment in jute and leather sectors and the possibility of establishing border haats markets came up during the meeting a statement issued by the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission said Both Banerjee and Munshi agreed that closer collaboration would be mutually beneficial for the business sectors of both Bangladesh and India particularly West Bengal it said The Bangladesh commerce minister is leading the Bangladesh delegation to the business summit PTI PNT KK KK KK

Kolkata April 19 PTI Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to come to West Bengal his first since the 2021 state poll on a three-day visit from May 4 party sources said on Tuesday State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said Shah is likely to visit the state from May 4-6 and hold meetings with the state party leadership besides attending some official engagements He will also participate in party programmes in north Bengal meet party leaders and hold organisational meetings in south Bengal Majumdar said Shah is also likely to hold a meeting with party MLAs and MPs from the state The visit is quite important as this will be Amit Shah Jis first visit to the state after last years assembly poll He is likely to give us a direction and a roadmap for the panchayat poll next year a senior BJP leader said Shahs proposed visit also assumes significance as the state BJP unit is plagued by infighting and exodus and is still licking its wounds after the assembly poll defeat Several senior BJP leaders are engaged in feuds on social media and off it leaving little time for the partys growth The BJP state unit has been fighting hard to keep its flock together after former union minister Babul Supriyo and five legislators including its national vice-president Mukul Roy switched over to TMC since the assembly poll result last year The saffron party despite its high pitch poll campaign before the state poll had managed to bag only 77 seats Trinamool Congress led by feisty Mamata Banerjee had stormed back to power for the third consecutive time riding on the plank of Bengali Pride and had won 213 seats by creating a poll narrative of sub-nationalism to counter and trounce BJPs identity politics PTI PNT KK KK KK

Kolkata Dec 30 PTI West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday stressed on winnability and clean image as the prime criteria while selecting candidates for the coming civic poll in the state party leaders said A TMC core committee meeting was held at Banerjees residence who is also the TMC supremo during the day to discuss the partys strategy and the candidate list for four municipal corporations to be held on January 22 During the meeting our party supremo stressed on winnability clean image and capability to strengthen the partys image in the area These will be the main criteria while selecting candidates for the civic poll senior party leader and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said after the meeting According to sources the party is likely to release its list of candidates for election to four civic bodies tonight The West Bengal State Election Commission had on Monday announced that the poll to Siliguri Chandannagar Bidhannagar and Asansol municipal corporations will be held on January 22 According to sources in TMC some sitting councillors in these civic bodies who do not have clean images and have earned the party a bad name are likely to be dropped Those who have bad reputation or have been non-performers are most likely not to get the party ticket this time The report on our councillors prepared by I-PAC will also play a key role while selecting candidates another senior TMC leader said on the condition of anonymity During the December 19 Kolkata Municipal Corporation KMC poll the ruling TMC had dropped 39 out of 124 sitting councillors Like in the KMC poll the party is also likely to issue a stern warning to all its candidates against using any form of force during the poll the leader said The party will not tolerate any use of force during the coming civic election If anyone is found to be involved in any form of violence on the polling day strict action will be taken the leader said Out of the four civic bodies where poll will be held on January 22 the TMC had won three in 2015 The Left Front had won the election in Siliguri Municipal Corporation The election could not beld in 2020 due to the pandemic situation PTI PNT KK KK KK