Kolkata, Apr 16 : Different political parties in West Bengal evolve and churn out innovative, hard-hitting and impressive slogans to woo the voters as the key to their election campaigning.

The resounding cry of ''Vande Mataram'' (homage to motherland) or ''Inquilaab Zindabad'' (long live workers'' revolution) has the power to activate the adrenalin in one and all.

Kolkata, Apr 15 : Residents in West Bengal participated in celebrations and revelry to welcome ''Poila Boisakh'' or the traditional New Year in the state.

''Poila Baisakh'' marks the beginning of the Bengali New Year, which they celebrate in a grand manner by taking out colourful processions on the streets.

During the procession, the melodious strains of Rabindra Sangeet, songs written and composed by Nobel laureate and poet Rabindranath Tagore filled the air as women wearing bright colourful saris, men in white tunics and children in colourful costumes walked through the city streets singing the songs.

On the eve of entering its 145th year of service, Kolkata-based Allahabad Bank, has made announcement about the retail selling of gold coins publicly.

The public sector lender said that it will shortly launch the scheme in other areas.

While speaking to media persons, Mr. KR Kamath, Allahabad Bank Chairman & Managing Director, stated that at first, the coins will be available in denominations of four (4), eight (8) and ten (10) grams in select core banking solutions branches of the bank.

Behrampore (West Bengal), Apr 13: Union External Affairs Minister and senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee on Monday filed his nomination papers from West Bengal's Jangipur parliamentary constituency.

Mukherjee, who won his first Lok Sabha election from Jangipur in 2004, filed his nomination papers to Murshidabad District Magistrate at 1.30 p. m.

The 74-year-old leader defeated Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPM) leader and three-time MP Abul Hasnat Khan by over 36,860 votes.

Siliguri, Apr 13 : The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), an organisation which is demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland to be carved out of West Bengal, announced its boycott of the upcoming national polls.

"Neither NDA nor UPA can bring the demand of Gorkhaland true for us. GNLF''s decision to boycott the polls will be a decisive factor for both the Congress and the BJP in the hills in the upcoming elections with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate to be the ultimate gainer," said Subhas Gishing, president, GNLF.

The latest report prepared by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) revealed that there are about 25 lakh cancer patients in India.

ICMR report also said that cancer scenario in the country is quite disturbing as the number of people living with this deadly disease continues to rise.