Indian stocks, bonds, and the rupee are poised to climb on Monday after exit polls indicated a resounding victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party.

The polls suggest the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance will clinch substantially more seats than the 272 required for a majority in the 543-seat lower house of Parliament. The votes will be counted on Tuesday.

The predictions are likely to calm investors rattled by recent stock market volatility, driven by concerns that the BJP might fall well short of PM Modi’s ambitious 400-seat target due to low voter turnouts and tight races in several states. A landslide win would enable the party to push through policies that are seen as crucial for boosting India’s economic growth, which is already among the world’s fastest.

“There was some skepticism, with volatility picking up as some people were getting jittery on the election outcome. Now it will settle – this is a resounding vote for continuity,” said Vinit Sambre, who oversees about $12 billion as head of equities at DSP Mutual Fund in Mumbai. “Markets could react positively on Monday.”

While the final results might differ from the exit polls, the strength of the projected victory is expected to benefit risk assets. Indian equities reached a record in May, while the bond markets are near their highest levels in about a year. Most pollsters predict the BJP and its allies to win between 350 and 400 seats. In 2019, the alliance won 352.

“The suggested size of the majority would allow the government to continue unabated with its current policy program,” said Gary Dugan, chief investment officer at Dalma Capital Management Ltd. in Dubai. “We could imagine a 3-5% return from the market on Monday.”

Read | Will BJP Cross 370 Seats? What Bookies In Shadow Betting Market Expect

Should the results on June 4 align with the exit polls, analysts expect the NSE Nifty 50 Index to reach a new record. The main gauge slid nearly 2% to 22,531 last week as foreign investors treaded cautiously ahead of the election outcome.

“Foreign investors will need to cover short positions quickly,” said Abhay Agarwal, founder and chief investment officer at Piper Serica Advisors. “Margin calls on short positions may lead to the market spiking beyond 23,000 on Monday – a new high – and close to 23,500 on June 4th” if the numbers for the ruling alliance are above 350, he said.

Shares of state-owned companies, infrastructure-linked firms and those of some corporates including the Adani Group and Mukesh Ambani’s conglomerate may be in focus Monday.

These companies are perceived to benefit from the BJP’s pro-growth policies and their outpeformance may extend in case of a strong election result, a CLSA note said. Engineering giant Larsen & Toubro Ltd., and power generators NTPC Ltd. and NHPC Ltd. are among CLSA’s preferred stocks.

Sentiment will also be buoyed by faster-than-expected economic growth data, published after market hours on Friday.

India’s gross domestic product grew more than 8% in the fiscal year that ended in March, cementing the nation’s position as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.

Read | 3 Possible Lok Sabha Election Outcomes And How Markets Could React

S&P Global Ratings recently indicated a potential credit rating upgrade for India, boosting financial markets ahead of the country’s inclusion in JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s emerging market bond index later in June.

“For the bond market, many things have been positive of late,” said Saurabh Bhatia, head of macro strategy and fixed income at Sapient Finserv, adding that the election outcome may give further fillip. “A strong government leads to more fiscal discipline and macro stability. Bonds will rejoice.”

Strategy views

Farley Capital (Andrei Stetsenko, partner and portfolio manager)

• If we see a renewed push to implement long-stymied but potentially economically transformative reforms to politically-sensitive areas such as agriculture, labor laws, and land acquisition, there would be potential for the “India premium” to other emerging markets to widen even further
• If, however, that political capital ends up focused more on potentially divisive social issues, I’d expect the opposite

Quantum Advisors (Nilesh Shetty, portfolio manager)

• The consensus view was that PM Modi would come back and exit polls reaffirm that view. Any opportunistic shorts will cover, which can lead to a near-term rally
• Over the last three decades, election results have not mattered much as average GDP growth has hovered around 6.5% irrespective of the government in power

Trust Mutual Fund (Sandeep Bagla, chief investment officer)

• Equity, currency, and bond markets should greet the exit poll results with a renewed enthusiasm as the uncertainty regarding poll verdict is finally getting over
• Given the likely buoyancy in the rupee, bonds should be well supported and there’s a distinct possibility that the 10-year benchmark bond yield could touch 6.90% in the near future

Societe Generale SA (Rajat Agarwal, Asia strategist)

• The average outcome of the exit polls is not much of a surprise from the opinion polls ahead of the elections. This is pretty much the number that market and foreign investors were working with
• Foreign investors have been more concerned about Indian valuations rather than the election outcome, so this result may not change their behavior

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

With the conclusion of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on Saturday, all eyes are now on June 4, when the election results will be declared.

While the parties wait for the results with bated breath, about 13 bellwether seats spread across 7 states give a good indication of what to expect on the counting day.

A bellwether seat is a constituency that gives an indication/trend for the region and also its impact on the national level.

Such seats signal the election mood not just locally but nationally as well, as the party winning here is usually the winner at the national level.

These bellwether seats are Valsad, Jamnagar, Banaskantha and Anand (in Gujarat), Faridabad, Ambala, Karnala (in Haryana), Jammu, Udhampur (Jammu), Alwar (Rajasthan), Secunderabad (Telangana), Sasaram (Bihar) and Ranchi (Jharkhand).

All these constituencies voted for a party, which rose to power and formed the government at Centre.

Rajasthan’s Alwar seat voted for BJP (1999, 2019) and for Congress (2004, 2009).

Jharkhand’s Ranchi Lok Sabha seat voted for BJP (1998, 1998, 1999, 2019) and for Congress (2004, 2009).

Haryana’s Karnal LS seat voted for BJP (1999, 2014, 2019) and for Congress (2004, 2009).

Faridabad, another Lok Sabha seat of Haryana voted for BJP (1998, 1999) and for Congress (1980, 1984, 1989, 1991).

Jammu and Kashmir’s Jammu LS seat voted for BJP (1998, 1999, 2014, 2019) and for Congress (2004, 2009).

Meanwhile, a couple of exit polls, at least six polling agencies, have predicted a hat-trick for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the BJP is poised to win 2024 elections with a thumping majority.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Girls cover their face to protect themselves from the scorching heat on a hot summer day, in Jaipur. Image for representation
| Photo Credit: PTI

Marathon Lok Sabha polling exercise ends with seventh phase on June 1

The world’s largest polling exercise to elect the 18th Lok Sabha ends on June 1 after one and a half months, with 57 parliamentary constituencies going to the polls in the seventh and final phase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among the 906 candidates in the fray in this phase, during which 10.06 crore electors are eligible to cast their votes.

Heatwave claims 61 lives across India in a day

With a heatwave roiling several parts of the country, at least 61 deaths from suspected heatstroke have been confirmed from multiple States on May 31 with 23 of the fatalities being poll personnel involved in the final phase of the Lok Sabha election that is set to culminate on Saturday.

At least 25 poll staff among 40 heat-related deaths as north India boils

India on Friday reported at least 40 suspected heat-related deaths, 25 of them of staff deployed on Lok Sabha poll duty in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, as heatwave conditions gripped a large swathe of the country.

17 more dead in landslips, floods in the Northeast

Floods and landslips killed 13 people in Assam, Manipur, and Meghalaya during the last 48 hours, taking the rainfall-related death toll in the Northeast to 17 since Wednesday.

NDA members will queue up to join INDIA bloc: Congress

A day before the final phase of voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the Congress expressed confidence that “a clear and decisive” mandate for the INDIA bloc will prompt many NDA constituents to join the Opposition alliance.

Lok Sabha on full swing to welcome new members

The Lok Sabha Secretariat has taken a host of measures to welcome the newly elected members of the 18th Lok Sabha, including setting up guideposts at all three domestic terminals at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and railway stations from June 4 to June 9.

Biden says Israel has offered to Hamas a three-step road map to an enduring ceasefire

President Joe Biden on Friday detailed a three-phase deal proposed by Israel to Hamas militants that he says would lead to the release of remaining hostages in Gaza and could end the grinding, nearly 8-month-old Mideast war.

Congress not to participate in Lok Sabha exit poll debates

The Congress has decided not to participate in any Lok Sabha exit poll debates on the television channels and said it does not want to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP.

Donald Trump blasts ‘rigged trial’, says will appeal guilty verdict

Donald Trump launched into attacks on the judge in his criminal trial and continued to undermine New York’s criminal justice system on May 31 as he tried to repackage his conviction on 34 felony charges as fuel, not an impediment, to his latest White House bid.

Bomb scare on Vistara flight halts air traffic for two hours at Srinagar airport

Srinagar International Airport was put on high alert on Friday following a bomb threat call received about an aircraft heading from Delhi to Srinagar. However, the call turned out to be a hoax, officials said.

ISL’s Golden Boot winner Diamantakos to leave Kerala Blasters

Dimitrios Diamantakos, the Indian Super League’s Golden Boot award winner this season, will leave Kerala Blasters FC after two years with the club.

Former U.S. President Trump speaks to members of the media after a jury found him guilty of all 34 felony counts in his criminal trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Donald Trump becomes first former U.S. President convicted of felony crimes

Donald Trump became the first former President to be convicted of felony crimes on May 30 as a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to a porn actor who said the two had sex.

SIT arrests Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna at Bengaluru airport after his return from Germany

Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women, was arrested by the SIT probing the case, minutes after he landed in Bengaluru from Germany around 12.30 a.m. on May 31..

High voltage campaign ends; final phase of polling on June 1

Curtains came down on Thursday on the high-octane campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which saw political parties try and weave narratives, often acrimonious, over issues ranging from caste, religion, reservation and citizenship.

V.K. Pandian is not my successor, says Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik

In the backdrop of the Bharatiya Janata Party going all guns blazing by converting Odia asmita (pride) into a major poll plank targeting Tamil Nadu-born former bureaucrat V. K. Pandian, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday said his close confidante would not be his successor.

Narendra Modi begins meditation at Vivekananda Rock Memorial

After offering special prayers at Sri Bhagavathi Amman Temple on the seashore in Kanniyakumari district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his 45-hour-long ‘dyan’ (meditation) at Vivekananda Rock Memorial on May 30 evening.

Hamas says it is ready for a ‘complete agreement’ if Israel stops war

Hamas said on Thursday it had told mediators it would not take part in more negotiations during ongoing aggression but was ready for a “complete agreement” including an exchange of hostages and prisoners if Israel stopped the war.

Loss of lives in Rafah heartbreaking, says India

The loss of Palestinian lives in the recent Israeli bombing of Rafah is “heartbreaking”, India said on Thursday. Nearly 45 Palestinians, including children, were killed when Israeli bombs hit tents housing displaced persons in Rafah on May 26.

Biden partially lifts ban on Ukraine using U.S. arms in strikes on Russian territory, U.S. officials say

President Joe Biden has given Ukraine the go-ahead to use American weaponry to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Strong westerlies to trigger widespread rain in Kerala

Setting the stage for the four-month rainy season, southwest monsoon set in over Kerala on Thursday. All the criteria required for the declaration of the monsoon were met in the morning.

PM spoke on divisive issues over 400 times, but never mentioned unemployment, price rise, says Kharge

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about “mandir-masjid” and other “divisive issues” 421 times but did not mention unemployment and inflation even once in his election speeches of the past 15 days, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday.

A screenshot of a purported X post by actor Shah Rukh Khan was shared by many social media users. “Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be the next prime minister of India,” read the alleged X post by the actor. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that the screenshot shared on social media was imaginary and fake. The actor has not published anything recently on the Congress leader.
Claim

An Instagram user shared on May 25 a screenshot of a purported X post by Shah Rukh Khan, which claimed that Rahul Gandhi will be the next prime minister.

The caption of the post read: “अबतो शाहरुख खान ने भी कहदिया
राहुल गांधी ही प्रधानमंत्री बनेंगे….”

An English translation to the caption read, “Now Shahrukh Khan also said

Rahul Gandhi will become the Prime Minister….”

Here is the link and archive link and below is a screenshot of the same:

Investigation

Starting the investigation, the Desk scanned social media platforms and found that several other users had shared the same screenshot with a similar claim.

Here is the link and archive link to one such post, and below is a screenshot of the same:

The screenshot was widely shared on YouTube as well. 

The Desk then conducted a customised keyword search on Google, but could not find any report regarding any such social media post.

In the next part of investigation, the Desk scanned the official X handle of the actor but could not find any such post by him.

As can be seen in the screenshot above, Khan shared only post in the month of May, in which he urged people of Maharashtra to exercise their franchise and cast vote in the state in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls held on May 20.

The Desk also checked the account’s activity log on Social Blade, a social media analytics website, and found that no post was deleted recently. Below is a screenshot showing the same:

Subsequently, the Desk concluded that a fake screenshot was shared on social media in the name of Shah Rukh Khan

CLAIM

Shah Rukh Khan said that Rahul Gandhi will be the next prime minister.

FACT

Shah Rukh Khan did not make any such statement on social media, or in public.

CONCLUSION

Several social media users shared a purported screenshot of an X post by Shah Rukh Khan, which quoted him claiming that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be the next prime minister. In its investigation, the PTI Fact Check Desk found that a fake screenshot was shared on social media with false claim.

(This story was originally published by PTI, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a 48-hour meditation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Tamil Nadu’s Kanniyakumari on Thursday. 

The PM will begin his meditation at Dhyan Mandapam, the same spot where Swami Vivekananda meditated in 1892. The Rock Memorial monument was built to pay tribute to the Hindu philosopher-saint.

Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election results, PM Modi had embarked on a similar spiritual journey in Uttarakhand. Back then, he was also photographed meditating in a holy cave near Kedarnath.

Why the  Vivekananda Rock Memorial?

During the 125th anniversary of Sri Ramakrishna Math in Mylapore, Chennai, PM Modi had said that his government’s philosophy is inspired by Swami Vivekananda.

“Our governance philosophy is also inspired by Swami Vivekananda. He said that whenever privilege is broken and equality is ensured, society progresses. Today, you can see the same vision in all our flagship programmes. Earlier, even basic facilities were treated like privileges. Many people were denied the fruits of progress. Only a select few people or small groups were allowed to access it. But now, the doors of development have been opened to everyone,” he said. 

A BJP leader told news agency PTI, “Meditating at the same place shows Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to bringing Swami ji’s vision of a Viksit Bharat to life. He is giving a signal of national unity by going to Kanniyakumari.” 

Security Arrangements

Around 2,000 police personnel have been deployed in the area during PM Modi’s stay. The PM is expected to stay in Kanniyakumari from Thursday evening to June 1. The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy have been asked to maintain a tight vigil.

What is Vivekananda Rock Memorial 

Situated close to the monolithic statue of Tamil saint Tiruvalluvar mid-sea off the coast of Kanniyakumari, the rock has been regarded as a sacred place since ancient times. The Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee built it to commemorate the visit of Swamy Vivekananda to “Shripada Parai” on December 24, 25 and 26 1892 for meditation and enlightenment.

Prajwal Revanna, grandson of JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, is accused in an alleged rape and sexual harassment case involving a 47-year-old woman. File.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

‘Mahatma became popular only after Gandhi movie’: Congress attacks PM Modi over his comment

The world view taught in the shakhas (branches) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) doesn’t allow one to understand Mahatma Gandhi as the RSS follows the path of his assassin Nathuram Godse, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday.

SIT team camping at Bengaluru airport to arrest Prajwal Revanna

One month after fleeing the country, Janata Dal (Secular) leader and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, charged with rape and sexual harassment of several women, is set to return to Bengaluru in the wee hours of Friday to face a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.

Remal effect: Disaster death toll rises to 38 in northeast

The death toll in cyclone Remal-induced disasters across four northeastern States rose to 38 on May 29. Rescue workers have so far retrieved 29 bodies from several landslide-hit locations in and around Mizoram’s capital Aizawl. An unspecified number of people continue to be missing or buried under stones, earth, and 127 damaged houses, 53 of them severely.

Heavy rain brings misery in Kerala ahead of the onset of monsoon

The heavy rain that pounded the southern and central districts in Kerala ahead of the onset of the monsoon aggravated the miseries of the people living in low-lying areas and adjacent to waterbodies in various places.

Centre’s policy to deny government jobs to kin of militants, stone-throwers casts a shadow on 50,000 families in Kashmir

An expansion of the “deep-vetting” process for government job aspirants in Jammu and Kashmir by security agencies is likely to impact over 50,000 families.

Citizenship granted under CAA to people in West Bengal, Haryana, Uttarakhand: MHA

Citizenship certificates under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) were granted to some people in West Bengal, Uttarakhand, and Haryana, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on May 29, 2024.

Modi’s meditation plan violates model code, Congress tells Election Commission

The two-day meditation announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu from May 30 violates the model code of conduct (MCC) and restrictions imposed on a candidate during the silent period, the Congress told the Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday.

IndiGo pilot, crew violate safety norms during evacuation

IndiGo will review why its pilot and cabin crew were seen flouting safety protocol alongside passengers during the May 28 emergency evacuation and carrying luggage while streaming down emergency slides following a bomb alert.

2024 Lok Sabha election: Rahul Gandhi’s big promises for farmers include loan waivers, MSP law

Even as a group of farmers continue to camp at the Punjab-Haryana boundaries in support of their demands, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday that once the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) government is formed at the Centre, it will waive off the loans of farmers and will provide a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Israel sends tanks into Rafah on raids, defying World Court order amid Gaza-wide offensive

Israeli tanks mounted raids across Rafah in defiance of the World Court for a second day on May 29, after Washington said the assault did not amount to a major ground operation in the southern Gazan city that U.S. officials have warned Israel to avoid.

Jurors in Trump hush money trial end first day of deliberations after asking to rehear testimony

The jury in Donald Trump’s hush money trial ended its first day of deliberations without a verdict Wednesday but asked to rehear potentially crucial testimony about the alleged hush money scheme at the heart of the history-making case.T he 12-person jury was sent home around 4 p.m. after about 4 1/2 hours of deliberations. The process is to resume Thursday.

Shimla:

The world is in a tense situation as ongoing conflicts are not likely to end so quickly and in this scenario, India needs a strong and powerful leader with standing and respect and a stable government, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday.

Interacting with a selective group of media persons in Shimla, he said there are ongoing conflicts in Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza-Iran and there are issues on the Indian borders too, adding a clear message should go that India has a strong leadership.

“The world is in a tense situation and the ongoing conflicts would not end so quickly and that’s why India needs a stable government, a strong and powerful leader with networking, standing and respect,” he said.

“If your family was in Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine war, who would you want at the top of the nation – Prime Minister Narendra Modi or some other face,” Jaishankar asked.

“I see four years of difficult times ahead and the electorates should wisely vote as similar conflicts could happen on our borders,” he told the media persons.

China is constructing roads, bridges and a model village at the border on the land it took in 1962 and had made a road to Siachen with the coordination of Pakistan and India has also deployed forces, improved logistics on the border and the budget for India-China border has been increased from Rs 3000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore, the minister said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

As the Lok Sabha elections enter its final phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is confident of his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), returning to power at the Centre and forming a government in Odisha, where assembly elections are being held simultaneously.

In an interview with the news agency ANI, the Prime Minister spoke about the decision of the BJP to not ally with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led by Naveen Patnaik despite sharing a good relationship with the Odisha Chief Minister. PM Modi said that he was willing to sacrifice his relationship for the welfare of Odisha.

On being asked about his relations with Mr Patnaik, PM Modi told ANI that in politics, relations between leaders should be good.

“We have good relations with the leaders of all the political parties of India and in a democracy we do not have enmity. Now the question is whether I should maintain my relations or worry about the fate of Odisha. I chose to devote myself to the bright future of Odisha and if I have to sacrifice my relations for that, I will sacrifice them and after the elections, I will convince everyone that I have no enmity with anyone,” he said.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that after the elections, he will convince everyone that he harbours no enmity with anyone.

Targeting the Naveen Patnaik-led BJP government in Odisha, PM Modi said that a group has taken over the entire Odisha system.

Mr Patnaik, who has been in power as the chief minister since 2000, is seeking a record sixth term in simultaneous state elections.

“There has been no progress in Odisha for the past 25 years. The biggest concern is that a toli (group) has taken over the entire Odisha system. It seems the whole system has been taken hostage. It is very natural that if Odisha comes out of it, then it will flourish,” PM Modi added.

“It is a question of the authenticity of Odisha. Odisha has so many natural resources. It is sad to see the poor people of such a prosperous state. Odisha is in the prosperous states of India. It is such a natural property but it is also in the list of states with many poor people. The government is responsible for this. That is why the people of Odisha should get their rights. Odisha should get its identity,” he added.

PM Modi further emphasised that on June 10, a BJP Chief Minister will take oath in Odisha.

“Odisha’s fate is about to change. The government is changing. I have said that the expiry date of the current government of Odisha is June 4. And on June 10, BJP’s Chief Minister will take oath in Odisha,” the Prime Minister said.

Responding to a question about his party’s performance in West Bengal in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi said that the eastern state will be the best performing one in the whole of India.

“In Bengal elections, TMC party is fighting for existence. You must have seen it in the last assembly elections, we had three seats. The people of Bengal took us from three to 80. We got a lot of support in the Lok Sabha in the last elections. This time, in the whole of India, the best-performing state will be West Bengal. The Bharatiya Janata Party will get the most success there,” he said.

In 2019, BJP made strong inroads into TMC’s hold in West Bengal, by winning 18 seats and being a close second to TMC, which won 22 seats.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that the elections in West Bengal are one-sided with the public supporting the BJP, which is creating panic in the Trinamool Congress government.

“There are constant murders and attacks. The BJP workers are being locked in jails before the elections. Despite all these atrocities, the public is coming out in large numbers to vote,” PM Modi added.

Prime Minister Modi said that his one-point agenda if elected again would be to ensure that the country achieves the goal of Viksit Bharat.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi/ Kolkata:

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she will not attend the meeting of the INDIA bloc on June 1 due to the last phase of Lok Sabha polls and ongoing relief work after cyclone ‘Remal’ hit the state’s coastal regions.

According to sources, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has convened a meeting of the INDIA bloc leaders in the afternoon of June 1, coinciding with the last round of polling.

Addressing an election rally in Kolkata, Ms Banerjee mentioned her inability to attend the INDIA bloc meeting due to the scheduled elections in the state on that day.

“The INDIA bloc meeting has been fixed on June 1. But I have already said I can’t go on June 1 as there is an election in our state on that day. So far I know there are elections in Punjab, UP and Bihar. Voting will continue till 6 pm, and at times it extends beyond that (6 pm),” she said.

Ms Banerjee highlighted the dual challenges of post-cyclone relief work and ongoing elections, emphasising her priority towards relief efforts.

“How can I leave everything behind and go? My priority is relief work. Even if I am holding a meeting here, my heart goes out to those people (affected by the cyclone),” she said at the Kolkata rally.

Cyclone Remal, with wind speed reaching 135 kmph, claimed four lives in West Bengal and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and property in the state’s coastal areas as it tore through West Bengal and Bangladesh, officials reported on Monday.

The TMC had withdrawn from the INDIA bloc in West Bengal in January but affirmed its commitment to remain part of the opposition alliance at the national level.

During the election campaigns in the last two months, Ms Banerjee had expressed confidence that the INDIA bloc would win the Lok Sabha elections and affirmed her involvement in the anti-BJP alliance at the national level.

Sources in the TMC revealed that voting will be conducted on nine seats, including two seats in Kolkata, in West Bengal on June 1, which are crucial for the party.

Apart from the Kolkata Dakshin and Kolkata Uttar, other constituencies in the state that will go to polls on that day include Jadavpur, Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jayanagar, Mathurapur and Diamond Harbour.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and other top leaders will exercise their franchise on the day, and, therefore, they will be unable to attend the meeting, a source said, adding that the party has attended all meetings of the opposition bloc so far.

The source added that the TMC has conveyed this to the organisers.

The first meeting of the opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) was held in Patna on June 23 last year, followed by meetings in Bengaluru on July 17-18, 2023, and in Mumbai between August 31 and September 1, where the opposition parties adopted resolutions to contest the Lok Sabha elections unitedly.

The fourth meeting of the opposition bloc was held in Delhi on December 19.

The next gathering of opposition leaders took place in Delhi on March 31, where top leaders shared the stage at the “Save Democracy” rally held against the arrests of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. A similar ‘Ulgulan’ rally was held in Ranchi on April 21.

The TMC has been part of all these meetings and rallies.

At the March 31 rally in Delhi, TMC’s parliamentary party leader in Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien, announced that the party would remain part of the INDIA bloc.

The TMC, which is in power in West Bengal, does not have any seat-sharing deal with the Congress or any other INDIA bloc partner in its home state. But its candidate Laliteshpati Tripathi in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi has been supported by ally Samajwadi Party.

Twenty-eight opposition parties came together to form the INDIA bloc. However, some parties such as Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) later switched over to the NDA.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)