West Bengal

On a spring day, a month ago, several visitors descended on the sleepy and dusty town of Serampore, 30 kilometres north of Calcutta. The occasion was the inauguration of the newly restored Denmark Tavern that was built in 1780. In 2016, the National Museum of Denmark (NMD) joined the West Bengal government to restore the crumbling St. Olav's Church from the Danish colonial era (1755-1845). And also the historic administrative square of what was once known as Fredericksnagore - after King Frederick VI of Denmark.

Over 1,000 BJP supporters, many of them tribals brandishing bows and arrows, cordoned off a BDO office here on Friday to ensure party candidates could file rural poll nominations, scaring off many Trinamul nominees in the process.

Amdanga in Barasat, 35km from Calcutta, appears like an oasis of peace since the clashes over rural poll nominations began on Monday with Trinamul and Opposition submitting papers together.

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that it was ready to send paramilitary forces "if needed" to ensure free and fair panchayat polls in Bengal, terming it a "constitutional obligation".

The Darjeeling district administration has decided to auction 10,000 quintals of flour spoilt because it could not be distributed during last year's 104-day statehood agitation.

The Sikkim government continued to put up a brave front on the face of the growing discontent over the vegetable crisis in the state with traders on Friday issuing a virtual ultimatum to it to either provide the organic produce in all its varieties and adequate quantity to meet the demand by Sunday or face protest.

Noida labour contractor Amzad Hossain was surprised when he recently received calls from Trinamul leaders in native Cooch Behar asking him to visit home next month and offering to pay for his train tickets.

Violence marred the Bengal panchayat poll nominations for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday with Opposition leaders accusing Trinamul of trying to crush their attempts to stand up to its "terror".

Day Four of nominations witnessed several innovations by the ruling party to thwart the opposition.

The Bengal election commission is toying with the idea of writing to the state government to seek central forces for the panchayat polls, panel sources said.