Mamata Banerjee issued a clarion call to join forces against ‘enemy’ BJP(HT_PRINT)Few days after Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule ended in West Bengal, former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a clarion call for all Opposition parties to join her as a force against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who has been one of the vocal critics of Mamata Banerjee, said the former Bengal chief minister was seeking support from all the parties she once tried to destroy.Mamata Banerjee issued a clarion call to join forces against ‘enemy’ BJP(HT_PRINT)Few days after Trinamool Congress' 15-year rule ended in West Bengal, former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a clarion call for all Opposition parties to join her as a force against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But the ‘street fight’ this time failed to gain any momentum as the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) rejected the call to unite against the saffron camp.State Congress spokesperson Soumya Aich Roy said, “We can’t believe our ears. You [Banerjee] invited national parties, indicating the Congress, Left and the ultra-Left to join you. What do you mean by ultra-Left? Do you mean the Maoists, who killed 18 Congress leaders and workers in Chhattisgarh on May 25, 2013?”Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who has been one of the vocal critics of Mamata Banerjee, said the former Bengal chief minister was seeking support from all the parties she once tried to destroy.Adhir Ranjan said, “All the violence in Bengal during Mamata Banerjee's rule will now have consequences. She tried hard to destroy Congress and secular spaces in Bengal, and today she herself is facing punishment, seeking support because her strength has faded” and demanded that she accepts Rahul Gandhi as INDIA bloc leader.“Only then will we consider anything,” he said.CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim, speaking on Mamata Banerjee's proposal, said, “Absolutely not. We will not accept anyone identified as criminal, extortionist, corrupt and communal. We will stand by the people and the marginal population.”On Saturday, May 9, Suvendu Adhikari took oath as the Chief Minister of Bengal in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and other chief ministers of the BJP-ruled states.What Mamata Banerjee saidAs Suvendu Adhikari became the first BJP chief minister in the state, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee appealed to all opposition parties in West Bengal to come together to form a “joint platform” to fight the BJP, reminding them that the first enemy is the saffron camp. She said, “I call upon all opposition parties, including the Leftists and the ultra-Left, to come together to form a joint platform against the BJP.”“It is not the time to think the enemy's enemy is my friend, our first enemy is the BJP,” she said, while addressing a small gathering in front of her Kalighat residence, while observing poet Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary.Mamata Banerjee said, “Hooliganism is going on at places, bad elements have entered their (BJP) ranks,” as she emphasised that she did not allow atrocities against anyone after coming to power in 2011.The BJP stormed into power in West Bengal, winning 207 seats in the 294-member assembly to form its first government in the state, while the TMC secured 80 seats.(With inputs from agencies)About the AuthorLivemintFor about a decade, Livemint—News Desk has been a credible source for authentic and timely news, and well-researched analysis on national news, business, personal finance, corporates, politics and geopolitics. We bring the latest updates on all the listed companies on BSE and NSE, startups, mutual funds, Union ministries, geopolitics, and untapped human interest stories from around the world, helping our readers to stay informed on the latest developments around the globe. Our Coverage Areas 1. Companies: Comprehensive news and analysis on listed and unlisted companies, corporate announcements, corporate chatter, C-suite, business trends, hiring alerts, layoffs, work-life balance, world's top billionaires and richest and more. 2. Personal finance: Insights into mutual funds, small savings schemes like - PPF, SSY, post office savings scheme, stock to watch, personal loans, credit cards, top bank
Nine newly-elected TVK MLAs also took oath along with Vijay on Sunday. These include Aadhav Arjuna, KA Sengottaiyan, N Anand, Dr KG Arunraj, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, Dr T Prabhu and S Keerthana. A man walks past a poster praising the victory of actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party president C. Joseph Vijay in Chennai on May 7, 2026 after the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election results were announced on May 4. Vijay, one of India's most bankable actors, launched his TVK party in 2024 on the plank of youth employment and good governance in Tamil Nadu, a key industrial hub with more than 80 million people. (Photo by R. Satish BABU / AFP)(AFP)Actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay took oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister today, 10 May, days after his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) debut performance in assembly polls. The swearing in was held at Chennai's prawling Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium ending days of uncertainty over government formation.The TVK managed to clinch key support of the Congress, Left and two other smaller parties after the debutant party ended at 108 seats, 10 short of 118 , the majority mark in 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly.Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was also present at the mega event attended by sea of supports of Vijay.People also askAI powered insights from this story•5 QUESTIONSC Joseph Vijay, an actor-turned-politician and leader of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, has taken oath as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.C Joseph Vijay took oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on May 10, following his party's performance in the assembly polls.C Joseph Vijay leads the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, which secured enough support to form the government in Tamil Nadu.The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party won 108 seats in its debut assembly polls, falling just short of the majority mark.Tamil Nadu's acting Governor, Rajendra Arlekar, administered the oath of office to C Joseph Vijay as Chief Minister.Nine newly-elected TVK MLAs also took oath along with Vijay on Sunday. These include Aadhav Arjuna, KA Sengottaiyan, N Anand, Dr KG Arunraj, P Venkataramanan, R Nirmalkumar, Rajmohan, Dr T Prabhu and S Keerthana.Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was also present at the mega event attended by sea of supports of Vijay. The oath of office on Sunday was administered by Tamil Nadu's acting Governor Rajendra Arlekar.The election results were announced on 4 May, yet the suspense continued till 9 May as Vijay scrambled for numbers to cross 118 seats – the magic number.The suspense, however, ended when VCK, which has two seats, finally extended support after keeping the TVK on tenterhooks and the political circles abuzz over its stand over the last two days.With his oath, Vijay, 51, has become the first leader outside the DMK and AIADMK formations to head the Tamil Nadu government since 1967.With the party formed two years ago, Vijay pitched himself as an alternative to traditional Dravidian parties. Vijay called Periyar his ideological leader, while noting that the party will not adopt his atheism, unlike the DMK. He also referred to CN Annadurai, K Kamaraj and BR Ambedkar as the party's leaders for the idea of social justice.About the AuthorGulam JeelaniGulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience. Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.
Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan will succeed Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and will assume charge as the Navy Chief on May 31. His tenure will continue till 31 December 2028.Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has been appointed as the next Chief of Naval Staff, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday. He is currently serving as the Western Naval Commander in Mumbai.Swaminathan will succeed Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and will assume charge as the Navy Chief on May 31. His tenure will continue till 31 December 2028.In an official announcement, the Defence Ministry wrote on X, “Government appoints Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM as the next Chief of the Naval Staff.”“Currently serving as FOC-in-C (Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief), Western Naval Command, the Admiral brings nearly four decades of distinguished service, with extensive operational, strategic and personnel management experience across key appointments in the Indian Navy,” it said.“He will succeed Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi who retires on 31 May 2026,” the ministry added.Who is Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan?Vice Admiral Swaminathan was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1987 and is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare.He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla; the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, United Kingdom; the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja; and the United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
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