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Prashant Kishor Clubhouse controversy: What is it about? Who said what? Why the controversy?

Referring to his earlier statement in a tweet, Kishor said he is confident and would therefore repeat that the BJP will not cross 100 seats in the 294-member assembly.

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5 years ago

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Prashant Kishor

As 44 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal went to the polls in the fourth phase on Saturday, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s poll strategist Prashant Kishore found himself in a social media controversy after statements he purportedly made during a public chat on Clubhouse went viral.

Releasing four clips of Kishor’s conversation with a few journalists, the BJP claimed that the Trinamool Congress had conceded defeat in Bengal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity is decisively working in favour of the BJP.

The clips were released ahead of the polling on Saturday. Four more phases remain before the results will be declared on May 2. The BJP is positing itself as the main rival to the ruling Trinamool Congress especially after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls where it won 18 of the 42 LS seats in the state. The Trinamool’s Lok Sabha tally came down to 22 from 34.

Who released the Clubhouse chat?

Amit Malviya, the BJP IT cell head, on Saturday shared a Clubhouse conversation clip of Prashant Kishor with a few journalists in which Kishor was discussing a Trinamool survey that showed BJP winning Bengal in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election. In the chat, Kishor was also sharing details of the factors working in favour of BJP. However, the authenticity of the clip is being disputed nor is it verified yet.  

What are the Clubhouse policies regarding leak chat?

Clubhouse was launched last year for people to host discussions in open rooms. The app does not allow recording and lets participants talk freely. To be sure, there have been instances of people using a second device to either record or stream a conversation. When entrepreneur Elon Musk dropped into a Clubhouse room, his conversation was streamed live on YouTube earlier this year.

What did Prashant Kishor say?

In the clips, Prashant Kishor is heard explaining the reasons behind PM Modi’s popularity and also explained that why Suvendu Adhikari is not really a factor in Bengal.

He said there are more than 1 crore Hindi speakers in the state while there are 27% Dalits who are supporting BJP. He said Matua-Dalit community will vote for the BJP but not as unitedly as it did in the Lok Sabha polls with 75% for BJP and 25% for Trinamool. PM Modi visited a Matua shrine during his visit to Bangladesh last month.

Kishor is also heard explaining how the Left voters will vote against Banerjee, even if it means voting for the BJP. He said the BJP workers were all over the state, even if they had been imported from the Left front.

In another clip, Kishor is heard talking of the blatant misuse of minority politics whether by the Left, Trinamool, or the Congress in the last 20 years. For the first time, Hindus are also benefiting while Muslims account for 30% of the voters in the state.

What has Kishor said after the BJP leaking clips of conversation?

Prashant Kishor immediately hit back over the selective and distorted use of part of the conversation and asked the BJP to release the full conversation. Referring to his earlier statement in a tweet, Kishor said he is confident and would therefore repeat that the BJP will not cross 100 seats in the 294-member assembly.

Read Also: 4 shot dead in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar outside polling booth; PM condoles deaths, Mamata Banerjee blames BJP

Why is Prashant Kishor important or famous?

Kishor, who heads the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), led campaigns for several parties to victory in several states. His first major campaign was for then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2012. In 2014, he orchestrated the BJP-led NDA campaign leading to its victory in the Lok Sabha elections. Later, he joined Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar and was appointed vice-president of the party. He was expelled from the JD(U) for indiscipline last year in January. Since then he has helped the victorious Congress in Punjab, the successful YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh and the almost-winner Rashtriya Janata Dal’s 2020 Bihar campaign.

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

Published

4 hours ago

on

August 16, 2026

By

Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

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1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

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IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

1 day ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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