Ahead of the Election Commission announcing Assembly poll dates, the Congress accused the Modi government of misusing the Model Code of Conduct, with party leader Jairam Ramesh alleging it has effectively become “Modi’s Code of Campaigning”.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a Rs 500 increase in the monthly honorarium for purohits and muezzins hours before the Assembly poll announcement, raising it to Rs 2,000 and approving fresh applications under the scheme.