Kolkata, March 12: After Trinamool Congress announced not to ally with the grand old party in the West Bengal Assembly polls, it is to be seen whether Congress will forge an alliance with the Left Front or go it alone.

Sources in the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) said there is a divided house in the grand old party over the alliance with the CPI(M)-led Left Front.

“Those against any understanding to continue in the 2026 Assembly polls have their logic. Congress first had an alliance with Trinamool Congress in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and 2011 Assembly elections. Their logic is that Trinamool Congress constantly weakened Congress in West Bengal by poaching the latter’s elected public representatives one after another,” said a senior state Congress leader.

“This section also feels that the seat-sharing arrangement with Left Front, which started since 2016 Assembly polls and continued till the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, had blurred the vision of the state Congress leadership to strengthen its organisational strength in the state and instead depend entirely on the seat-sharing arrangement with Left Front,” the leader said.

However, the state Congress leader added that there is an opposite view within the state unit of the party in this matter.

“They feel that Congress’ current organisational strength in West Bengal is in such a state, that any decision to go alone in the 2026 Assembly polls will mean accepting the defeat before the battle is fought. Now since both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee have ruled out all possibilities of any Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance in the 2026 polls, the only alternative for Congress in case of any seat-sharing arrangement is with the Left Front,” the state Congress leader said.

However, he added, Congress’ central high command is not in favour of enforcing any decision on this issue on the state leadership.

“Rather our central leadership wants to reach a decision only after feeling the pulse of the state Congress leadership and more importantly the grassroots level Congress workers. A delegation of the All India Congress committee is expected to be on a tour to West Bengal either in June or July this year which might be headed by our national president Mallikarjun Kharge. This delegation will interact with the different levels of state leadership on this issue and only after that, any decision on seat sharing arrangement will be reached,” said the WBPCC leader.

Complications on the seat sharing agreement are there on the part of CPI(M) as well, which surface from the proposals in the draft political resolution for the 24th party Congress scheduled at Madurai in Tamil Nadu in April this year.

In that draft political resolution, released last month, the CPI(M)’s central leadership focussed more on independent political lines in the coming days rather than on electoral understanding.

“The party should pay more attention to the independent political campaign and mass mobilisation around the political platform of the party. There should be no blurring of our independent identity or diminishing of our independent activities in the name of electoral understanding or alliances,” the draft political resolution of CPI(M) read.

To maintain the independent line, the draft resolution had cautiously touched upon West Bengal and Tripura, where the CPI(M)- led Left Front had electoral understanding and seat-sharing arrangements with Congress in the past elections.

“A significant increase in the strength of the party requires the rebuilding and expansion of the party and the Left in West Bengal and Tripura. In West Bengal, while conducting mass struggles and movements, special attention should be paid to working among the rural poor and organising them. The party has to focus more on the political and ideological fight against the BJP while opposing both the TMC and BJP,” the draft political resolution as regards the West Bengal perspective has stressed.

New Delhi, March 12: The Government of India has successfully repatriated 266 Indian nationals who were released from cybercrime centres in Southeast Asia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Wednesday.

An Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft facilitated their safe return.

Taking to social media platform X, the MEA stated, “Government of India arranged for the safe repatriation of 266 Indians yesterday by an IAF aircraft, who were released from cybercrime centres in South East Asia.”

The ministry also highlighted the efforts of Indian embassies, which worked closely with the governments of Myanmar and Thailand to ensure the safe return of the affected individuals.

This repatriation follows a similar operation on Monday when 283 Indians were brought back from Myanmar. These individuals had been lured to Southeast Asian countries with fraudulent job offers and were subsequently forced into cybercrime and other fraudulent activities at scam centres along the Myanmar-Thailand border.

A press release issued by the MEA emphasised the tireless efforts of Indian embassies in Myanmar and Thailand, which coordinated with local authorities to secure the release of those trapped.

The special IAF aircraft deployed on Monday brought back 283 nationals from Mae Sot, Thailand, marking another significant step in India’s ongoing battle against human trafficking and cybercrime rackets in the region.

Reiterating its advisories, the MEA urged Indian citizens to exercise caution regarding fraudulent job offers. The ministry stressed the importance of verifying foreign employers’ credentials through Indian missions abroad and thoroughly checking recruiting agents and companies before accepting overseas job opportunities.

The Indian government has frequently cautioned its citizens about the dangers of falling prey to unsolicited job offers from unknown sources, as many of these scams have led to individuals being exploited and forced into illegal activities.

The recent repatriation was made possible through collaboration between Indian authorities, Myanmar’s Union authorities, and local groups operating in the Myawaddy area of Myanmar, where several victims had been detained.

The Indian Embassy in Myanmar also acknowledged the success of the operation in a post on X, stating, “In coordination with Myanmar’s Union authorities and local groups, 283 Indian nationals at scam compounds in Myawaddy area of Myanmar were released and repatriated yesterday through Mae Sot in Thailand. Strongly reiterate our advice against such job offers.”

Earlier, on February 11, eight more Indian nationals were deported from Myawaddy scam centres to Mae Sot, Thailand, as part of a larger group of 19 foreigners. At the time, the Indian Embassy in Myanmar had confirmed that 133 Indian nationals had been released. “We reaffirm our warning against job offers in this area,” the embassy stated.

With these recent operations, the Indian government continues its proactive efforts to combat human trafficking and protect its citizens from fraudulent overseas job schemes.

Shahjahanpur, March 11: In a bid to maintain peace and ensure the safety of religious places during the upcoming Holi celebrations, the district administration of Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has taken a unique precautionary step with over 60 mosques in the region been covered with tarpaulin sheets ahead of the famous ‘Joota Maar Holi,’ a colourful and chaotic event known for its exuberant processions and exuberant revelry.

The decision comes after extensive discussions with religious leaders and local authorities, aimed at preventing the mosques from being smeared with colours or, in some cases, shoes during the festivities.

Shahjahanpur is home to one of the most distinctive Holi traditions, where people engage in a playful ‘Joota Maar Holi’ during a procession that spans approximately 10 kilometres. The festivities attract thousands of participants, often leading to uncontrolled chaos, making the precautionary measures necessary.

To prevent damage to the mosques and ensure the smooth flow of the celebrations, the district administration, with the support of local religious leaders, decided to cover mosques and other religious structures with tarpaulin.

This is intended to keep them protected from the shoe hitting, colour splashes and potential disruptions associated with the event. Authorities have also planned for additional security measures, including surveillance and monitoring by police personnel in military uniforms, as well as the use of drones to keep a watchful eye on religious places during the celebrations.

While the Muslim community in Shahjahanpur has expressed their support for these protective measures, they have emphasised that the covering of mosques is in everyone’s best interest. By ensuring that no colour falls on their religious places, the atmosphere will remain undisturbed, allowing everyone to enjoy the festivities peacefully. The initiative has been broadly accepted, and religious leaders have voiced their approval after attending peace committee meetings with local officials.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh S. reassured the public, stating, “We have covered the mosques and are deploying special security around all religious structures. We are monitoring them with both videography and drone surveillance to ensure safety. The peace committee has given its approval, and the cooperation from the minority community is commendable.”

The district administration is hopeful that the celebrations will proceed without incident, maintaining the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb—the spirit of communal harmony—for which the city is known.