{
  "id": 5077131,
  "title": "NCPI may form coalition with BJP in upcoming Bengal municipal polls, say leaders",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/ncpi-may-form-coalition-with-bjp-in-upcoming-bengal-municipal-polls",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T11:50:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times",
    "slug": "hindustan-times",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ncpi-may-form-coalition-with-bjp-in-upcoming-bengal-municipal-polls-say-leaders-101788349835385.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Leaders of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) have suggested the possibility of forming a coalition with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the upcoming municipal elections in West Bengal. However, senior BJP leaders from the state have not committed to a coalition, stating that they will contest the polls as members of the NDA. NCPI representatives, including rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, have made preliminary discussions with the chief minister and are prepared to contest the elections as a coalition member. TMC councillors and municipal chairpersons have been resigning and some have been arrested on corruption charges following the BJP's takeover of power in the state. At least 20 TMC MPs have joined the NCPI in recent weeks. The NCPI currently lacks organizational structure and is composed of individual MPs with uncertain prospects. This would mark the first municipal elections in the state since the BJP's resounding victory in the recent assembly elections.",
  "summary": "Senior BJP leaders from the state, however, remained non-committal, saying the party was focusing on all 209 seats",
  "key_points": [
    "NCPI may form coalition with BJP for Bengal municipal polls.",
    "BJP leaders not committed to coalition, will contest as NDA members.",
    "TMC officials resigning and arrested amid BJP takeover."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}